Improvement of mechanical properties of pearlitic and pearlitic-ferritic steels by deformation-induced changes of microstructure

By using laboratory simulation tests thermomechanical processing, based on a post-transformation hot deformation with accelerated cooling, was employed on two steels with 0.46 and 0.76% C. Finer pearlite interlamellar spacing, reduced proeutectoid ferrite, and partially spheroidized pearlite bring about a substantial increase of strength without loss of toughness and ductility.