Transition of solidification mode and the as-cast γ grain structure in hyperperitectic carbon steels

Formation processes of as-cast γ grain structures during casting of hyperperitectic carbon steels with 0.15-0.45 mass% carbon concentrations have been studied by means of a rapid unidirectional solidification technique. In steels with 0.15-0.41 mass% carbon concentrations, coarse columnar γ grains (CCGs) with a minor axis diameter of 1-3 mm developed along the direction of temperature gradient. In a steel with 0.38 mass% carbon, importantly, columnar γ grains (CGs) whose minor axis diameter is less than 500 μm form before the formation of CCGs and the grain structure changes discontinuously from CG to CCG. The fraction of the CG region increases with an increase in the carbon concentration. In the samples with a carbon concentration higher than 0.43 mass%, the as-cast structure consists of CGs over almost the entire ingots. Analyses of the relation between γ grain and dendrite structures and their crystallographic orientations indicate that the formation of CGs originates from the primary solidification of γ phase instead of δ phase. This is supported by numerical analysis of the dendrite growths.