Fabrication and Mechanical Properties of Nonequilibrium Ordered Austenite Wires of Fe–Mn–Al–C System by In-Rotating-Water Spinning Method

Abstract

Nonequilibrium ordered austenite wires with rather high strength and good ductility have been fabricated in the Fe–Mn–Al–C system by the in-rotating-water spinning method in which a melt stream is ejected into a rotating water layer. The continuous wires with circular cross section were formed only when the ratio of melt jet velocity to water velocity is in the range of 0.76–0.84. The diameter is in the range of 0.07–0.20 mm. Their yield strength (σ_y) and tensile fracture strength (σ_f) increase with increasing aluminum and carbon content and with decreasing manganese content and reached 840 MPa and 1000 MPa, respectively, for Fe–20%Mn–16%Al–10%C alloy. The elongation decreased with the increase in carbon and aluminum content ranging from 30 to 2%. Such compositional dependences are interpreted as due to both the solid solution hardening and order strengthening. Cold drawing causes a significant increase in σ_y and σ_f and the attained values are about 2250 and 2350 MPa, respectively, for the Fe–40%Mn–10%Al–5%C wire drawn to about 80% reduction in area.