Introducing nano-VC precipitates makes ultrafine bainitic steel a better combination of strength, ductility, and toughness

Simultaneously enhancing the strength, plasticity, and toughness of metal materials has been a prominent research objective. In this study, the precipitation of nano-scale vanadium carbide particles at a lower tempering temperature is controlled to achieve three key benefits: reducing lattice distortion in bainitic ferrite, strengthening through precipitation, and enhancing the toughness of bainitic ferrite, while also maintaining the content and stability of retained austenite. The adopted procedure increases the comprehensive mechanical properties of steel by 17%. In particular, the room-temperature impact toughness is increased by 41%. This comprehensive microstructure optimization endows bainitic steel with an excellent combination of mechanical properties.