NanoSteels (The Newest Approaches Toward the Training and Applications of Nanotechnology in Mass Production of Nanostructure Steels)

The term NanoSteels is called to some special steels consisting of nanosize phases (i.e. ferrite, cementite, and austenite), grains, and carbides (e.g. vanadium and M2C) produced by nanotechnology. It is proof that exotic physical, mechanical, and magnetic properties can be obtained from nanostructured steels. Fabrication methods of nanostructure steels can be divided into two main categories, SPD (severe plastic deformation) and melt base (crystallization from amorphous state) methods. Among all of the severe plastic deformation techniques (i.e. ECAP, HPT, and ARB), equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) is especially attractive because it can economically produce bulk of ultra- fine grain (UFG) materials. On the other hand, crystallization from amorphous state in bulk metallic glasses is a unique approach toward the mass production of nanostructure ferrous alloys. In the experimental process, crystallization of α – Fe phase during annealing process of Fe55Cr18Mo7B16C4 bulk amorphous alloy has been evaluated by X- ray diffraction and TEM observations. It is known from the TEM observations that crystalline α – Fe phase nucleated in the structure of the alloy in an average size of 10 nm and completely mottled morphology.