Microstructure and properties of low-carbon weld steel after thermomechanical strengthening

Optical metallography and transmission electron microscopy have been used to study the structure of the rolled sheets produced from the pipe steel of Kh90 class. The sheets were manufactured using different technological schemes of strengthening: direct quenching from rolling heating (QRH) followed by high-temperature tempering; and two-step thermomechanical treatment with rapid cooling to a desired temperature (TMT). A relationship between the nature of the structure and mechanical properties of the rolled sheet has been established. It has been shown that the two-step thermomechanical treatment has significant advantages over the quenching from the rolling heating, which is related to the formation of highly dispersed bainite with a subgrain structure upon TMT.