Third Generation Steel

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 This can be described as third generation steel and it promises to beno more costly to produce. Impressively it will be excellent fortoughening armor against IEDs.
The quality of steel continues to advance and increase user options. It must be a part with the longest research program in human historyconsidering that it has been unending and punctuated with raresuccesses that usually changed everything.
All good.
High-strengthmaterial advancements at may lead to new, life-saving steel
by Staff Writers
Detroit MI (SPX)Nov 07, 2012
The . steel beingdeveloped by Putatunda's research group is a high bainitic steel withan extremely fine scale microstructure consisting of ferrite andcarbon stabilized austenite.
http://www.spacemart.com/reports/High_strength_material_advancements_at_may_lead_to_new_life_saving_steel_999.html
There has been greatadvancements in the development of the high-strength steel and theneed for additional enhancements continue to grow. Various industrieshave a need for structural components that are lighter and stronger,improve energy efficiencies, reduce emissions and pollution increasesafety and cost less to produce, particularly in the automotiveindustry.
A group of researchersin Wayne State University's College of Engineering have been workingto create advanced materials with high-yield strength, fracturetoughness and ductility.
Their efforts have ledto the development of a new material consisting of bainitic steelsand austempered ductile iron that has all these characteristics,ultimately resisting fatigue that can cause fractures in materialsoften with catastrophic consequences.
The group, led bySusil Putatunda, Ph.D., professor of chemical engineering andmaterials science in WSU's College of Engineering, has focused ondeveloping novel materials using unique processing technique.
Thesematerials are processed from existing raw materials used in the steelindustry and can be heat treated using currently availableindustrial austempering process. According to Putatunda, thisthird generation advanced high strength steel has a number ofadvantages over the currently available steels currently being usedin industry today.
"Our steel hastwice the yield strength, has a very high tensile strength, and isclose to three times the fracture toughness over advanced steelscurrently on the market," said Putatunda.
"In addition, ithas improved strength for fatigue and impact, improved durability,lower weight, and the austempering process reduces energy consumptionand eliminates the post-treatment process."
The new steel beingdeveloped by Putatunda's research group is a high bainitic steel withan extremely fine scale microstructure consisting of ferrite andcarbon stabilized austenite.
It has high carbon andhigh silicon content, and after the austempering process - anisothermal heat treatment - produced a structure that is stronger andtougher than other types of steel.
The austemperingprocess is a more energy efficient heat treatment process thatdoes not require post-heat treatment, therefore leading to additionalenergy savings.
Putatunda continues todo research on his high-strength steel through the support of theNational Science Foundation, the Michigan Initiative for Innovationand Entrepreneurship, and Applied Process, Inc.
Independent ballistictests done in Canada have been conducted and have shown excellentresults. As a consequence, the steel may be useful in improvisedballistic explosive attacks.
"The steel hasbeen found to have the strength and durability necessary for armoredvehicles to resist improvised explosive devices because of itsextremely high fracture toughness," said Putatunda. "Oursteel could potentially save human lives against explosive attacks."
This technology isideally suited for cast steel parts and is currently in themanufacturing validation development stage at a steel casting plant.
Learn more aboutPutatunda's research

Austempering isan isothermal heattreatment thatis applied to ferrous metals,most notably steel and ductile iron. In steel it producesa bainitic microstructurewhereas in cast irons it produces a structure of acicular ferrite andhigh carbon, stabilized austenite knownas ausferrite.It is primarily used to improve mechanical properties or reduce /eliminate distortion. Austempering is defined by both the process andthe resultant microstructure. Typical austempering process parametersapplied to an unsuitable material will not result in the formation ofbainite or ausferrite and thusly the final product will not be calledaustempered. Both microstructures may also be produced via othermethods. For example, they may be produced as-cast or air cooled withthe proper alloy content. These materials are also not referred to asaustempered.