Optimisation of mechanical properties for a gear steel alloy for aero-engine applications

Abdallah, Zak; Bache, M; Perkins, K; Rawson, M; Hetherington, J

Abstract

The characterization of steel alloys, candidates for employment as a gear material for future gas turbine aero-engine, will be described in the present study. Comparative studies were initially performed on seven potential steel alloy systems, considering a range of properties including mechanical behavior, the forgeability of the alloy, the depth and carbon content of the carburized layer alongside the Prior Austenite Grain (PAG) size. A major objective was to obtain a fully martensitic microstructure through quenching, deep freezing and tempering treatment of the chosen steel alloy. Specifically, the microstructures generated from various heat treatments alongside carburizing trials to improve the surface wear resistance will be characterized through metallographic and hardness assessments. The inspection methods employed to quantify the amount of carbon in the carburized layer included Wavelength Dispersive Spectroscopy (WDS) alongside electron probe micro analysis (EPMA). Flow stress was evaluated using Right Circular Cylinder (RCC) specimens tested under compression across a wide range of temperature and strain rate, with the associated thermo-mechanically driven phase transformations studied using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and dilatometry, all supporting DEFORM® process modeling.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (published)
• Conference Name: 22nd International Conference on Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology
• Start Date: Sep 19, 2018
• End Date: Sep 21, 2018
• Publication Date: 2018
• Deposit Date: Jul 12, 2023
• Volume: 6
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4172/2321-6212-C4-023
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10932384