Pali KPELOU^1,, Ayi Djifa HOUNSI², Damgou MANI KONGNINE¹, Tiburce Ahouangbe ABOKI³, Essowè MOUZOU², Gnande DJETELI¹, Kossi NAPO¹

The Bassar iron industry has produced large quantities of steel ingots exceeding local needs and opening up a vast sub regional iron trade network. Bassar blacksmiths of Bitchabe and those of neighboring peoples such as kabiyè have transformed these ingots into finished products to feed this trade network. The present work studied the microstructural and mechanical properties of traditional Bassar Steel (BS) forged by Kabiyè blacksmiths. The forging process of Kabiyè blacksmiths was described. Optical Microscopy (OM), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Vickers microhardness and tensile tests were used to investigate the microstructural and mechanical properties of the forged samples. Optical micrographs indicate a ferritic matrix containing many non-metallic inclusions. Micro-hardness measurement values ranging from 130 to 185 Hv_0.3 are measured from the heart to the surface of the Bassar Forged Steel (BFS). This field covers the microhardness values of ferritic steel or very low carbon steel. The tensile strength of the studied forged steel is 148 GPa with a low total strain of 14 %. EDS analysis indicate the presence of Phosphorus in a low proportion.

Bassar forged steel, forging, hardness, microstructure