The effect of rare earth elements on the thermal cracking resistance of high speed steel （HSS） rolls was investigated. Laser rapid heating was used for thermal fatigue experiments. Thermal cracks and microstructure were observed using metalloscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that thermal cracks initiated from the interface between the matrix and eutectic carbides （including M6C and M7C3 type carbides）,and propagated along the interface between the two phases. MC type carbides enriched with vanadium could prevent the propagation of thermal cracks. The presence of rare earth elements decreased the quantity of big eutectic carbides,and proportionally increased spherical and rod-shaped MC type carbide content. HSS0 （0.00% RE） had approximately three times the thermal cracking density of HSS3 （0.12 wt.% RE）. Rare earth elements were shown to significantly improve the microstructure and thermal cracking resistance of HSS rolls.
The influence of rare earths（RE） on solidification behavior of a high speed steel for roll was investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry（DSC） in combination of microstructure analysis.It was found that the sequence of solidification was L→γ,L→γ＋MC,L→γ＋M2C,L→γ＋M6C,respectively.The start temperature and the latent heat liberated by unit mass of L→γ and L→γ＋MC increased with increase of RE addition,indicating that RE could trigger the crystallization of the primary γ and the MC carbide more effectively.The promoting effect of RE on the heterogeneous nucleation was believed to be an important cause of this effect.Grain refinement,discontinuous network of eutectic carbides and disperse and finer MC were observed in the samples with RE addition,moreover,RES could act as the heterogeneous nucleus of the MC.RE addition was favorable for stable M6C at the expense of the metastable M2C.
The effect of external magnetic field on the solidification structure and impact toughness of high-speed steel(HSS)produced by electromagnetic centrifugal casting(EMCC)have been investigated.It was found that the solidification structure could be improved effectively by electromagnetic stirring,which was characterized by elimination of the inclined columnar dendrites and refinement of the grain size.The results may be related to the changes of the fluid layers of liquid-solid phase interface.Moreover,the impact toughness of the test steel increased with the exciting current increasing from 12 to 18 A,but decreased when the current was above 18 A.SEM analysis showed that impact fracture surface was dimple fracture due to effect of the refined equiaxed grains when the current was 18 A,which was considered an important reason for the improvement of impact toughness.
The effect of rare earth（RE） on continuous heating transformation of a high speed steel for rolls was investigated by using differ-ential scanning calorimetry（DSC） with combination of microstructure analysis.Determination of the Ac1 and Ac3,the starting temperature of carbide dissolution and melting upon heating,the enthalpy change for the α→γ transformation and overall carbide dissolution were also es-tablished.It was found that RE could reduce the volume fraction of large eutectic carbides and the chrysanthemum-like eutectic colonies but could not change the phase composition.RE made a little change to Ac1,but the variation in Ac3 and enthalpy for the α→γ followed an in-creasing pattern as the RE addition increased.The start temperatures of carbides dissolution increased with increase of RE addition,which may be associated with the influences of RE on the morphology of carbides,but the overall enthalpy change of carbides dissolution decreases as the RE addition increased.Moreover,the start temperature of melting also increased with increasing RE addition.
