Comparative Evaluation of Impact Toughness of Leaf Spring Steel Before And After The Carburizing Process Using Various Natural Carbon Media
DOI:
10.46729/ijstm.v7i4.1449Published:
2026-08-02Downloads
Abstract
Leaf spring steel is a key component of vehicle suspension systems that operates under dynamic loading and repeated impact loads, requiring adequate impact toughness. This study aims to evaluate the effect of the pack carburizing process on the impact toughness of leaf spring steel using three types of natural carbon media, namely coconut shell charcoal, palm shell charcoal, and mangrove wood charcoal. Carburizing was carried out at a temperature of 920°C with a holding time of 30 minutes, followed by oil quenching. Testing was performed using the Charpy impact test method in accordance with ASTM E23 on specimens before and after carburizing, supported by visual observation of the fracture surfaces. The results show that the specimen before carburizing had the highest average impact value of 0.18 J/mm². After carburizing, all specimens showed a decrease in impact value, with coconut shell charcoal producing the highest value (0.11 J/mm²; a 38.89% decrease), followed by palm shell charcoal (0.05 J/mm²; a 72.22% decrease), while mangrove wood charcoal produced the lowest value (0.03 J/mm²; an 83.33% decrease). Fracture surface observations revealed a shift from ductile fracture before carburizing to a mixed fracture tending toward brittleness after carburizing. Coconut shell charcoal was shown to provide the best balance between increased surface hardness and retained impact toughness of leaf spring steel.
Keywords:
leaf spring steel; pack carburizing; carbon media; impact toughness; Charpy test.References
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