Experimental investigation of the effects of cryogenic processing conditions on microstructure and mechanical properties of vanadium steels

In this thesis, the changes in the metallurgical structure and mechanical properties of the materials were investigated by keeping the cryogenic working temperature and time parameters of vanadium alloy cold work tool steels having different percentages. In the thesis study, cold work tool steels with a new generation vanadium content were obtained and processed according to the experimental dimensions. The heat treatment and the parameters to be applied before the cryogenic process were determined. In order to investigate the mechanical properties of the cryogenic processing samples, hardness and compression tests were applied to each sample. SEM-EDS analyzes were performed to investigate the changes occurring in the microstructures of the steels and the elements formed. Afterwards, XRD and Rietveld analyzes were used to determine phase transformations in the structure of materials. As a result, it was observed that the vanadium alloying element and cryogenic process applied to the materials increased the mechanical properties of the materials. After cryogenic processing, it was determined that new carbides were formed in the materials and the amount of residual austenite decreased to martenzite structures.