About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
High Performance Steels
|
| Presentation Title |
Mechanistic insights into cementite dissolution via dislocation–interface interactions in cold-drawn steels |
| Author(s) |
Chao Huang, Eason Yi-Sheng Chen, Ranming Niu, Julie M. Cairney |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Chao Huang |
| Abstract Scope |
Cementite dissolution plays a central role in the exceptional strength of cold-drawn pearlitic steels, yet its atomistic mechanism remains unresolved. Here, we combine TKD, TEM, and APT to investigate a model pearlitic steel deformed to a true strain of 1.67. We directly observe dislocations interacting with cementite, driving its fragmentation, partial amorphization, and the formation of low-angle boundaries in ferrite. Carbon redistributes along dislocations and grain boundaries, forming concentrated Cottrell atmospheres where cementite has been sheared. These results provide compelling evidence that dislocation motion, rather than thermal diffusion or simple mechanical mixing, governs cementite decomposition. The resulting supersaturation and structural disorder in ferrite contribute to the ultrahigh strength of these steels. This work reveals the mechanistic pathway of dislocation-assisted cementite dissolution and offers a new paradigm for interface-driven strengthening in nanostructured steels. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Iron and Steel, Mechanical Properties, Characterization |