Metallurgical Perspective on Quench and Partitioned Advanced High Strength Steels

The present article provides an insight into different types of advanced high strength steel, with a special emphasis on the quench and partitioned (Q&P) steels. The quench and partitioned steel contain the retained austenite and martensite in the microstructure. The softer retained austenite phase improves the ductility and toughness, whereas the desired strength is provided by martensite. Due to this unique microstructural combination, these steel grades are being investigated extensively in recent times and are a potential candidate for automotive and other applications. Therefore, different aspects of these steels, such as design, processing, and applications, are reviewed in the present article. In addition, the suitability of these grades for hot-dip galvanizing is also discussed briefly.