Microstructure and properties of cast B-bearing high speed steel

Microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear resistance of B-bearing high-speed steel (HSS) roll material containing 0.90-1.00% C, 1.3-1.5% B, 0.8-1.5% W, 0.8-1.5% Mo, 4.6-5.0% Cr, 1.0-1.2% V, and 0.15-0.20% Ti were studied by means of the optical microscopy (OM), the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), hardness, impact toughness, and pin-on-disk abrasion tests. The results showed that as-cast structure of B-bearing HSS consisted of α-Fe-, M₂₃(B,C)₆-, M₃(B _0.7C_0.3)-, and M₂(B,C)-type borocarbides, a small quantity of retained austenite, and a small amount of TiC. The hardness and impact toughness values of as-cast B-bearing HSS reached 65-67 HRC and 80-85 kJ/cm², respectively. There were many M₂₃(B,C) ₆-precipitated phases in the matrix after tempering, and then, with increasing temperature, the amount of precipitated phases increased considerably. Hardness of B-bearing HSS gradually decreased with the increasing tempering temperature, and the change of tempering temperature had no obvious effect on impact toughness. B-bearing HSS tempered at 500 C has excellent wear resistance, which can be attributed to the effect of boron.