Influence of carbon partitioning kinetics on final austenite fraction during quenching and partitioning

The quenching and partitioning (Q&P) process is a two-stage heat-treatment procedure proposed for producing steel microstructures that contain carbon-enriched retained austenite. In Q&P processing, austenite stabilization is accomplished by carbon partitioning from supersaturated martensite. A quench temperature selection methodology was developed to predict an optimum process quench temperature; extension of this methodology to include carbon partitioning kinetics is developed here. The final austenite fraction is less sensitive to quench temperature than previously predicted, in agreement with experimental results.