A 1080 steel was austenitized at 775°C for one hour and quenched to 550°C until it isothermally transformed at 550°C. How long must the austenite be held at 550°C to complete the transformation? What is the expected microstructure and hardness?
The austenite must be held at 550°C for a minimum of 2 hours to complete the transformation. The expected microstructure is a mixture of ferrite and pearlite, with a hardness of approximately 200 HB.
