Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Acidic Corrosion Resistance and Wear Performance of Low-Carbon Steel
Low-carbon steels are widely used in structural and industrial applications, but their performance can be significantly enhanced through controlled thermal processing. This paper looks at how different heat treatment techniques affect low-carbon steel's microstructure, corrosion resistance in...
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College of Engineering of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Ekiti State, Nigeria
2025-07-01
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| Series: | ABUAD Journal of Engineering Research and Development |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.abuad.edu.ng/index.php/ajerd/article/view/1518 |
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| author | Basiru Philip Aramide Tamba Jamiru Taoreed Adegbola Abimbola Patricia Idowu Popoola |
| author_facet | Basiru Philip Aramide Tamba Jamiru Taoreed Adegbola Abimbola Patricia Idowu Popoola |
| author_sort | Basiru Philip Aramide |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Low-carbon steels are widely used in structural and industrial applications, but their performance can be significantly enhanced through controlled thermal processing. This paper looks at how different heat treatment techniques affect low-carbon steel's microstructure, corrosion resistance in acidic settings, and wear performance. Mechanical and electrochemical behaviours were evaluated under four heat treatment conditions: normalizing (A), water quenching (Q), normalizing followed by quenching (AQ), and double (cyclic) quenching (QQ). Phase changes were characterized by optical microscopy; Vickers microhardness testing and depth profiling evaluated hardness distribution. Using linear polarization techniques, electrochemical corrosion tests in dilute sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) were run to find corrosion potential, current density, and polarization resistance. Using a pin-on-disc apparatus, wear performance was also assessed under 10 N and 20 N loads. Results revealed that quenching greatly increased surface hardness because of martensite formation; Q had the highest microhardness but lower corrosion resistance because of microstructural stress and heterogeneity. By contrast, AQ offered a balanced microstructure with fair hardness and excellent corrosion resistance. Wear rates were closely connected to hardness; QQ showed the greatest wear resistance at both load conditions. These results highlight the importance of heat treatment in maximizing the surface integrity of carbon steel for uses in mechanically hostile and acidic environments.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e6b884e45145459f83b0f1f29ae81fa7 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2756-6811 2645-2685 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | College of Engineering of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Ekiti State, Nigeria |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ABUAD Journal of Engineering Research and Development |
| spelling | doaj-art-e6b884e45145459f83b0f1f29ae81fa72025-08-20T03:15:57ZengCollege of Engineering of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Ekiti State, NigeriaABUAD Journal of Engineering Research and Development2756-68112645-26852025-07-018210.53982/ajerd.2025.0802.26-jEffect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Acidic Corrosion Resistance and Wear Performance of Low-Carbon SteelBasiru Philip Aramide0Tamba Jamiru1Taoreed Adegbola2Abimbola Patricia Idowu Popoola3Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, Nigeria & Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South AfricaDepartment of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South AfricaDepartment of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South AfricaDepartment of Chemical, Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Low-carbon steels are widely used in structural and industrial applications, but their performance can be significantly enhanced through controlled thermal processing. This paper looks at how different heat treatment techniques affect low-carbon steel's microstructure, corrosion resistance in acidic settings, and wear performance. Mechanical and electrochemical behaviours were evaluated under four heat treatment conditions: normalizing (A), water quenching (Q), normalizing followed by quenching (AQ), and double (cyclic) quenching (QQ). Phase changes were characterized by optical microscopy; Vickers microhardness testing and depth profiling evaluated hardness distribution. Using linear polarization techniques, electrochemical corrosion tests in dilute sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) were run to find corrosion potential, current density, and polarization resistance. Using a pin-on-disc apparatus, wear performance was also assessed under 10 N and 20 N loads. Results revealed that quenching greatly increased surface hardness because of martensite formation; Q had the highest microhardness but lower corrosion resistance because of microstructural stress and heterogeneity. By contrast, AQ offered a balanced microstructure with fair hardness and excellent corrosion resistance. Wear rates were closely connected to hardness; QQ showed the greatest wear resistance at both load conditions. These results highlight the importance of heat treatment in maximizing the surface integrity of carbon steel for uses in mechanically hostile and acidic environments. https://journals.abuad.edu.ng/index.php/ajerd/article/view/1518Heat TreatmentLow-Carbon SteelAcidic Corrosion ResistanceWear BehaviorMicrostructure Evolution |
| spellingShingle | Basiru Philip Aramide Tamba Jamiru Taoreed Adegbola Abimbola Patricia Idowu Popoola Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Acidic Corrosion Resistance and Wear Performance of Low-Carbon Steel ABUAD Journal of Engineering Research and Development Heat Treatment Low-Carbon Steel Acidic Corrosion Resistance Wear Behavior Microstructure Evolution |
| title | Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Acidic Corrosion Resistance and Wear Performance of Low-Carbon Steel |
| title_full | Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Acidic Corrosion Resistance and Wear Performance of Low-Carbon Steel |
| title_fullStr | Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Acidic Corrosion Resistance and Wear Performance of Low-Carbon Steel |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Acidic Corrosion Resistance and Wear Performance of Low-Carbon Steel |
| title_short | Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure, Acidic Corrosion Resistance and Wear Performance of Low-Carbon Steel |
| title_sort | effect of heat treatment on microstructure acidic corrosion resistance and wear performance of low carbon steel |
| topic | Heat Treatment Low-Carbon Steel Acidic Corrosion Resistance Wear Behavior Microstructure Evolution |
| url | https://journals.abuad.edu.ng/index.php/ajerd/article/view/1518 |
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