Panoramic Crystallographic Analysis of Structure Evolution in Low-Carbon Martensitic Steel under Tempering

Abstract

Structural changes developing under tempering of low-carbon martensitic steel are studied by the method of electron backscatter diffraction. The evolution of the crystal lattice curvature reflecting the softening process and the packet-block structure of the martensite are analyzed. The dependence of the self-accommodation of packets on the combination of variants of the interphase orientation relation is determined. The growth of new martensite laths under tempering, which is related to this dependence, is considered.