NEW Fe-C-Mn-Si-Cr BEARING ALLOY: TEMPERING CURVES AND TEMPERED MARTENSITE EMBRITTLEMENT

SAE 52100 steel is not only used as a rolled raw material for bearing manufacturing but for building some rolling devices as well, such as guide rollers and straightener rollers. The purpose of this work is the characterization of a Fe-C-Mn-Si-Cr bearing alloy (SAE 52100 steel, modified with 1.74% Si) by plotting the variation of quenched and tempered hardness curve (tempering curve) and tempered martensite embrittlement susceptibility. The present application is based on the same idea as 300M steel regarding SAE 4340 steel. The effect of silicon on the kinetics of cementite precipitation leads to a rise in temperature of tempered martensite embrittlement. Quench and temper treatments were carried out and impact tests were performed with modified and commercial steels and the results were compared. Microstructure aspects are studied by scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis. The silicon alloyed steel presents great resistance to softening after tempering and no tempered martensite embrittlement