Abstract
Small punch tests were developed to determine the ductile-brittle transition temperature of nickel-chromium (Ni-Cr) steels having various degrees of temper embrittlement and various microstructures. It was found that the small punch test clearly shows the ductile-brittle transition behavior of the temper-embrittled steels. The measured values were compared with those obtained from Charpy impact and uniaxial tensile tests. The effects of punch tip shape, a notch, and the strain rate on the ductile-brittle transition behavior were examined. It was found that the combined use of a notch, high strain rates, and a small punch tip strongly affects the ductile-brittle transition behavior. Considerable variations in the data were observed when the small punch tests were performed on coarse-grained steels. Several factors controlling embrittlement measurements of steels are discussed in terms of brittle fracture mechanisms.