Microstructure features and carbon partitioning in low temperature bainitic steels: The effect of magnetic field

The effect of a 12 Tesla magnetic field on the microstructure and carbon partitioning in a low temperature bainitic steel isothermally transformed at 300 °C was investigated. The application of the high magnetic field significantly accelerated the formation of bainitic ferrite. The acceleration can be attributed to additional magnetic Gibbs free energy (ΔGM). Compared with a sample transformed without the magnetic field, the bainitic ferrite laths were refined and the distribution became more uniform; the alignment and orientation of the laths was more regular in a given austenite grain. Meanwhile, a high magnetic field promotes carbon partitioning from bainitic ferrite to retained austenite (RA) and increases the carbon accommodation of the retained austenite.