Investigation of solute interactions in multi-component steel using diffusion couples

There is an increasing demand for advanced high strength steels in the manufacturing and automotive industries. The use of these steels in cars can lead to weight reduction, improved fuel efficiency and enhanced crash worthiness. The development of these new steels requires the alloying of Fe with increasing amounts of manganese (Mn), silicon (Si) and aluminium (Al). As these elements are added in greater amounts, interactions between these elements become more likely to occur. The interaction of Si with Carbon (C) for example has been well-documented and Si content is carefully controlled to promote the development of steel microstructures that lead to high ductility. Much less understood is the interaction between Al and C in steel. Understanding this interaction is essential as industry attempt to increase the Al content in steel in order to reduce the density of the steel and enhance the strength. The proposed work will create model alloys in which the Al content is systematically varied. The diffusion of Al within these alloys will be studied using an electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) which is a device that can detect the distribution of Al at a fine scale within the steel.

Faculty Supervisor:

Hatem Zurob

Student:

Partner:

Université Grenoble Alpes

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Education

University:

McMaster University

Program: