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Effect of retained austenite and nonmetallic inclusions on the thermal/electrical properties and resistance spot welding nuggets of Si-containing TRIP steels

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Abstract

Five advanced high-strength transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) steels with different chemical compositions were studied to correlate the retained austenite and nonmetallic inclusion content with their physical properties and the characteristics of the resistance spot welding nuggets. Electrical and thermal properties and equilibrium phases of TRIP steels were predicted using the JMatPro© software. Retained austenite and nonmetallic inclusions were quantified by X-ray diffraction and saturation magnetization techniques. The nonmetallic inclusions were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the contents of Si, C, Al, and Mn in TRIP steels increase both the retained austenite and the nonmetallic inclusion contents. We found that nonmetallic inclusions affect the thermal and electrical properties of the TRIP steels and that the differences between these properties tend to result in different cooling rates during the welding process. The results are discussed in terms of the electrical and thermal properties determined from the chemical composition and their impact on the resistance spot welding nuggets.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank the Coordinación de la Investigación Científica (CIC) of the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH-México) for the support during this project (CIC-UMSNH-1.8). V.H. Vargas’ studies were sponsored by the National Council on Science and Technology (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología-México) and would like to thank for the support during this project N.B. 254928.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Metallurgy and Materials Research Institute, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Edificio “U”, Ciudad Universitaria, 58066, Morelia, Michoacán, México

    V. H. Vargas, I. Mejía & C. Maldonado

  2. Materials Science and Engineering Program, Autonomous University of Zacatecas, López Velarde 801, 9800, Zacatecas, Zacatecas, México

    V. H. Baltazar-Hernández

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  1. V. H. Vargas
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Correspondence to I. Mejía.

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Vargas, V.H., Mejía, I., Baltazar-Hernández, V.H. et al. Effect of retained austenite and nonmetallic inclusions on the thermal/electrical properties and resistance spot welding nuggets of Si-containing TRIP steels. Int J Miner Metall Mater 26, 52–63 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-019-1709-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-019-1709-9

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