The purpose of the thesis is to construct continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagram for PT181 steel. For this purpose, dilatometric analysis, light microscopy, scanning electronic microscopy and hardness testing were used. Experimentally defined transformation temperatures were compared to transformation temperatures determined with empirical equations from literature and computer programs. Using dilatomeric method, transformation temperatures Ac1 = 773 °C, Ac3 =880 °C, Ms = 310 °C and Mf = 250 °C were defined. Using the same method, transformation temperatures of austenite at different cooling rates between 2 K/min and 6000 K/min were specified. Ferrite formed at lower cooling rates between 2 K/min and 100 K/min. Perlite formed only in small quantities at the lowest rates of cooling between 2 K/min and 8 K/min. Bainite formed at all cooling rates, at rates higher than 30 K/min, its share was always over 95%. At cooling rate of 20 K/min, shares of bainite and ferrite were the same, smallest amount of bainite formed at slowest cooling rate of 2 K/min. Martensite formed only by very rapid cooling, at rates greater than 1000 K/min. Reciprocally with microstructural composition increased hardness of analysed steel, being lowest at cooling rate of 2 K/min (172 HV0,5) and highest at rate of 6000 K/min (399 HV0,5). Coefficient of thermal expansion was defined at 100 °C, being 12,526·10-6 K-1, and at 700 °C being 14,659·10-6 K-1. Empirical equations and computer programs can be a useful tool for defining parameters of heat treatment, however, the results showed that their accuracy must always be proven with experimental methods.
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