In this study, we investigate the dissolution behavior of eutectic carbides in heavy forgings. High-temperature diffusion treatment was conducted on 35Cr3Ni3MoVW2 (MoVW2) and 35Cr2Ni3MoV (MoV) steels at 1230 °C for a duration ranging from 0 to 100 h. The dissolution of eutectic carbides and its effects on the microstructure and hardness of the steels were characterized and analyzed via SEM+EBSD, ImageJ, and Thermo-Calc. The results show that the coarse eutectic carbides in both steels gradually dissolved. The distribution and morphology tend to be uniform and spherical, respectively. For holding 50 h, the hardness of both steels significantly exhibited an increasing trend, and it was attributed to the combined effects of solid solution strengthening. Thermodynamic calculations indicated that the higher W content in MoVW2 steel promoted the precipitation of M6C eutectic carbides. Moreover, both MoVW2 and MoV steels exhibited the precipitation of M7C3 eutectic carbides in the final stage of solidification, facilitated by the enrichment of C and Cr in the liquid steels.
Keywords: Cr-Ni-Mo-V alloy steel; eutectic carbides; hardness; heavy forging; high-temperature diffusion.