Deformation-induced amorphization and austenitization in white etching area of a martensite bearing steel under rolling contact fatigue

•WEA consists of an amorphous phase with martensite, austenite and carbides embedded.•Deformation-induced phase transformation and amorphization occurred in WEA.•Various morphologies were present in the WEA due to a partial amorphization.•Nanocrystallines and amorphous phase resulted in an increased...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of fatigue 2017-12, Vol.105, p.160-168
Main Authors: Su, Yun-Shuai, Li, Shu-Xin, Lu, Si-Yuan, Shu, Xue-Dao
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amorphization
Austenite
Bearing steels
Deformation
Deformation mechanisms
Etching
Ferrites
Inspection
Martensite
Martensitic stainless steel
Martensitic transformations
Materials fatigue
Phase transformation
Phase transitions
Rolling contact
Rolling contact fatigue (RCF)
Transmission electron microscopy
White etching area (WEA)
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Summary:•WEA consists of an amorphous phase with martensite, austenite and carbides embedded.•Deformation-induced phase transformation and amorphization occurred in WEA.•Various morphologies were present in the WEA due to a partial amorphization.•Nanocrystallines and amorphous phase resulted in an increased hardness in WEA. The paper investigated the composition and the formation mechanism of white etching areas (WEAs) generated in rolling contact fatigue (RCF) of a bearing steel using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is generally accepted that WEA consists of nano ferrites. However, the current study revealed that nano ferrite is not the final product of the WEA. Instead, it involves phase transformation and amorphization. TEM inspection showed the WEA exhibits an amorphous phase with martensite, austenite and carbides embedded interior. The amount of austenite is greatly increased in the WEA, indicating a phase transformation from martensite to austenite. The analysis showed that both the amorphization and the austenitization are proceeded under a shear-induced mechanism. Asa result of partial amorphization, nanocrystallites and amorphous phase coexist. Various morphologies are present in the WEA.
ISSN:0142-1123
1879-3452
DOI:10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2017.08.022