Effect of tempering temperature on mechanical properties and microstructure of AISI 4140 and AISI 4340 tempered steels

Erdem Saraç; Nursel Altan Özbek

doi:10.1515/mt-2021-2151

Article

Effect of tempering temperature on mechanical properties and microstructure of AISI 4140 and AISI 4340 tempered steels

Erdem Saraç
Erdem Saraç completed his BSc degree at Selçuk University, in Konya. He completed his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Duzce University. His research interests are material testing and machining.
and Nursel Altan Özbek
Nursel Altan Özbek, completed her BSc degree in 2006 and MSc degree in 2008 at Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar. She received her PhD degree in Mechanical Education from Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey, in 2013. Her research interests are material testing, machining, cryogenic treatment, Taguchi method, and ANOVA.

Published/Copyright: June 8, 2022

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From the journal Materials Testing Volume 64 Issue 6

Abstract

The AISI 4140 and AISI 4340 tempered steels are widely used in industry. This study investigated the effects of the tempering temperature on the mechanical properties of these steels. The steels were kept at 850 °C for 30 min, left in an oil environment, and then subjected to hardening. The samples were then tempered for 1 h at four different temperatures (300, 450, 550, and 650 °C). Hardness measurements were performed to determine the mechanical properties of the materials. In addition, the samples were subjected to tensile, notch impact, and wear tests. The samples were also examined microstructurally. The results revealed that the hardness, impact energy, and wear rates of samples of both steels decreased when tempering was applied after quenching. As the tempering temperature was increased, these values tended to decrease. However, the impact value increased in parallel with the tempering heat treatment and tempering temperature.

Keywords: hardness; impact energy; microstructure; tempering temperature; wear

Corresponding author: Nursel Altan Özbek, Duzce University, Duzce, 81620, Turkey, E-mail nurselaltan@duzce.edu.tr

Funding source: Düzce University 10.13039/501100010612

Award Identifier / Grant number: BAP-2018.22.01.722

About the authors

Erdem Saraç

Erdem Saraç completed his BSc degree at Selçuk University, in Konya. He completed his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Duzce University. His research interests are material testing and machining.

Nursel Altan Özbek

Nursel Altan Özbek, completed her BSc degree in 2006 and MSc degree in 2008 at Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar. She received her PhD degree in Mechanical Education from Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey, in 2013. Her research interests are material testing, machining, cryogenic treatment, Taguchi method, and ANOVA.

Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: This project is supported by Düzce University Research Fund Project Number: BAP-2018.22.01.722. In addition, the authors thank ERDEMİR TAŞ for making use of the laboratory facilities during the study.
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.

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Published Online: 2022-06-08

Published in Print: 2022-06-27

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/mt-2021-2151

Keywords for this article

hardness; impact energy; microstructure; tempering temperature; wear