Austenite-driven TRIP effects: enhancing mechanical properties of 30CrMnSiNi2A steel in laser powder bed fusion
摘要
To address the challenge that plasticity and strength cannot be synergistically enhanced in 30CrMnSiNi2A fabricated by laser additive manufacturing, high performance samples were fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) using the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect in this study. The optimization of the volumetric energy density (VED) resulted in an increase of the residual austenite (RA) content from 5.5% to 12.7%. Meanwhile, the martensite/austenite (M/A) island content was increased from 10.35% to 39.05%, and the morphology was transitioned from blocky to filmy structure. The phase transition during cooling triggered a competition between pre-martensite and bainite, which reduced the average grain size of the sample to 1.58 μm. In addition, the elevated VED promoted the formation of fine carbides during the decomposition of M/A islands, triggering the Orowan effect, which effectively hindered dislocation motion. These microstructural enhancements obtained excellent tensile strength (1566 ± 5.9 MPa) and elongation (14.7% ± 0.8%). The fracture morphology exhibited a combination of transgranular quasi-cleavage and ductile dimple fractures, indicating a balanced plasticity-strength synergy. This work demonstrates the potential of LPBF for manufacturing 30CrMnSiNi2A components with intricate designs and superior mechanical properties.