Institute of Metals Division - Shock Hardening and Explosive Ausforming of Alloy Steels

This paper describes a study of the effects of combined heat treatment and explosive loading on the mechanical properties of high-strength steels. nis program investigated two distinct areas: 1) the effect of shock waves, without gross irreversible defmmution, on a 3-Cr steel at various stages of heat treatment; and 2) the effect of rapid deformation (explosive forming) on H-11 and D6-AC steels in the metastable austenitic state. The mechanical properties of these steels were improved, in some cases markedly, as a result of these treatments. ,AUSFORMWG, which requires the plastic deformation of metastable austenite, is a process which can appreciably improve the properties of selected alloy stee1s.l,2 The Ausform process significantly increases the strength of these steels without decreasing their ductility. The properties at high temperatures are also improved through a change in the response of the steels to tempering. Although the mechanism by which ausforming alters the properties of these steels is not fully understood, it appears that the dislocation arrays produced by deformation of the metastable austenite influence the structure of the martensite on subsequent transformation. This, in turn, affects the strength, ductility, and tempering response of the martensite. This research used chemical explosives to deform steels at various stages in their heat treatment in order to improve the properties of these steels. The explosive energy is used in two ways; 1) high-pressure shock waves are propagated through the steel to produce extensive microscopic shear strain without causing a large irreversible change in shape, and 2) explosive energy is used to cause extensive macroscopic plastic strain in the metastable austenitic state (explosive forming). I) AUSFORMING WITH INTENSE SHOCK WAVES The steel used in this phase of the research was an alloy having a nominal composition 0.43 pct C, 3.0 pct Cr, 1.5 pct Ni, and 1.5 pct Si. The steel was subjected to intense shock waves in three conditions: 1) in the metastable austenitic state, 2) in the tempered mar tens itic state, and 3) in the tempered martensitic state after ausforming by conventional techniques. The specimens were in the form of disks 2.75 in. in diam and 5/16 in. thick. These were incorporated into a specimen assembly consisting of two disks pressed into a 5 by 5 by 1 in. block of stainless steel, Fig. 1. Spalling (or scabbing) is confined to the front disk. The specimen is protected from oxidation and decarburization by the surrounding metal. The temperature of the assembly is monitored by a thermocouple inserted into one side of the stainless steel block. The assembly is positioned over an oil reservoir which serves both as a means of catching the disks and as quenching medium for the disks shocked under ausforming conditions. Plane shock waves are introduced into the assembly by a metal driver plate impacting the top surface of the block. The driver plate is accelerated by a chemical explosive sheet supplied by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. All the specimens were subjected to plane shock waves having a peak pressure of approximately 430 kbar. The pressure is that quoted by G. E. Dieter for the plane wave generator used in this work.' The driver plate used was 1/4 in. thick, so that the initial pulse was essentially a l/2-in.-wide square wave. The attenuation of the peak pressure during the subsequent 1/4 in. is estimated to be less than 5 pct. The shock front induces a temperature rise, a portion of which is irreversible. Rough estimates (+25 pct) of this temperature rise have been made for iron shocked at room temperature.4 For a 500-kbar shock wave, the temperature rise in the shock front is about 700°F, and is held for a time of the order of microseconds. The irreversible temperature rise, which remains after the shock wave passes, is about 450°F.4 The disks are quenched to room temperature within a few seconds of the shock treatment. It should be emphasized that the temperature rises given above are estimates for pure iron at room temperature, and are not necessarily true for the tests made in this work. The disks shocked at temperatures in the metastable austenitic range were austenitized in the stainless steel assembly in a furnace protected from the firing area. The assembly was removed from the furnace and placed over the recovery reservoir. The plane wave generator was then positioned and