Structure-fractal-property correlation of multiphase steel.

The quantitative measure of irregular arrangement, configuration and geometric pattern of microstructural features is often termed as fractal dimension (D f). The measurement of D f of a complex mixture of multiphase microstructure, comprised of crystals consisting of martensite, bainite, Fe 3 C and martensite/austenite (M/A) constituents' chaos networks in a typical dual phase steel (matrix ferrite) is carried out and interpreted with its respective phase fractions and resulting mechanical responses as a function of intercritical annealing schedule. Image–texture characteristics have also been analyzed to comprehend the s t o r e d – e n e r g y and c o n f i g u r a t i o n a l – s t a b i l i t y of such complex phase-mixture with annealing temperature. The invasive-type fractal characteristics, complexities and chaos of such micro layered hierarchical multiphases' networks in the multiphase steel has been convincingly revealed. • Multiphase DP steel is chosen at different intercritical annealed states. • Box-counting method is employed to estimate fractal dimension of second phase mixture. • Image–texture analysis is performed to understand the relative 'energy generation' of multiphases. • Fractality-image texture-microhardness correlated at different microstructural states. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]