Effect of residual austenite on properties of tool steel following shortened treatments in lower bainitic phase

Recent investigations show the possibility of shortened low-cost treatment of chromium alloyed tool steels in the lower bainitic state. But with these treatments just above the martensite start temperature remains still an amount of residual austenite. For better understanding of the reactions due to the transformation of austenite into lower bainite metallographic, studies completed by dilatometric tests have been carried out. Structural characteristics due to applied heat treatment processes are discussed and special changes of specific properties are discussed by example of the steel 100Cr6 (SAE 52100).