Microstructures resulting from the interaction between ferrite recrystallization and austenite formation in dual-phase steels

The present work investigates the interactions between ferrite recrystallization and austenite formation in dual-phase steels by experiments performed at high heating rate (100 °C/s). It was shown that both ferrite recrystallization and austenite formation are strongly coupled and interdependent. The kinetics of ferrite recrystallization is strongly affected by the formation of austenite and can be even inhibited in some cases. The microstructure is more heterogeneous and anisotropic when both the austenite formation and the ferrite recrystallization overlap. It was highlighted that the degree of anisotropy depends on the volume fraction of austenite at a given temperature. Furthermore, an unusual behavior for austenite growth was highlighted. It is characterized by a much higher volume fraction than those obtained under OrthoEquilibrium and ParaEquilibrium. The results, especially those at 715 °C close to the eutectoid plateau, at which the driving force for austenite growth is classically low, suggest a diffusionless transformation for austenite.     

Q235碳素钢应变强化相变中铁素体的取向特征

利用背散射电子衍射取向成像技术分析了在热模拟单向压缩条件下Q235碳素钢应变强化相变中铁素体晶粒的取向（差）变化特点。结果表明，奥氏体的状态影响应变诱导出的铁素体的取向，奥氏体的动态再结晶使应变诱导出的铁素体的取向随机分布，在铁素体的内部基本上没有小角晶界，随着形变温度的降低和应变量的增大，铁素体取向的择优性变强，铁素体内部的小角晶界增加，这是细小铁素体动态再结晶的表现，相变，形变以及铁素体的动态再结晶都影响＜111＞方向线织构的形成。     

低碳钢超细晶铁素体的形成

将含碳量（质量分数）为0．057％和0．18％的低碳钢在不同过冷度、变形温度、变形速率和变形量的条件下进行热模拟实验,研究了含碳量和热变形条件对超细晶粒形成的影响．结果表明,变形前快速冷却（20℃／s）至Ar3以上附近温度并进行超过50％变形量的变形,能强烈促进过冷奥氏体形变诱发铁素体相变,铁素体在奥氏体晶内平行的变形带上形核,并发生动态回复和再结晶,从而使组织细化．形变诱发的相变过程由碳的扩散所控制,当钢的含碳量比较高时,小过冷度、大变形量和中等变形速率有利于铁素体相变,晶界碳化物的析出能够抑制铁素体晶粒的长大,因而高碳含量钢表现出更好的细化晶粒效果．     

Role of recrystallization and pearlite dissolution in industrial processing of DP590 steels

Dual-phase (DP) steels derive their perfect blend of properties via the hard second phase, namely martensite or bainite in a softer ferrite matrix. The key to refine the mechanical properties of DP steels rests on optimizing and tailoring the distribution and size of the hard second phase present in the ferrite matrix. There can be several combinations of processing routes depending on the governing mechanisms, such as recrystallization, pearlite dissolution, phase transformation, etc., which can affect the morphology and distribution of martensite phase present in DP microstructures. All these mechanisms are invoked at various stages of annealing process cycle. In the present study, experimental simulation of various annealing parameters was carried out on a cold-rolled steel using a custom designed annealing simulator. The evolution of microstructure was studied by field emission scanning electron microscope. The evolving microstructures were correlated with governing mechanisms of recrystallization, pearlite dissolution, and phase transformation. Through these simulations, it was possible to tailor the microstructure and consequently improve the tensile properties of the DP steel.     

Interactions between ferrite recrystallization and austenite formation in high-strength steels

Using both experimental and modeling approaches, we give some clarifications regarding the mechanisms of interaction between ferrite recrystallization and austenite formation in cold-rolled high-strength steels. Using different thermal paths, we show that ferrite recrystallization and austenite formation can be strongly interdependent. The nature of the interaction (weak or strong) affects significantly the austenite formation and the resulting microstructure. We show that the kinetics of austenite formation depends intrinsically on both heating rates and the extent of ferrite recrystallization. An unexpected behavior of austenite growth was also seen at high heating rates. A possible explanation is presented based on the nature of the local equilibrium at the ferrite–austenite interface. The microstructure is more heterogeneous and anisotropic when both austenite formation and ferrite recrystallization overlap. A mechanism of microstructural formation is proposed, and this is supported by 2D simulations’ images.     

Fine-grained alloys by thermomechanical processing

Grain refinement during thermomechanical processing is conventionally achieved by discontinuous recrystallization. However, techniques involving severe deformation which increase the grain boundary area and can result in a micron-scale grain size by a process of continuous recrystallization have been developed. Various methods which are based on control of the deformation conditions and cooling rate during hot rolling of steels have utilised the α–γ phase transformation to produce micron-grained ferrite. Ultra-fine-grain structures exhibit interesting mechanical properties, and in certain cases a large amount of strengthening may be achieved with little or no reduction in ductility.     

低碳钢压缩时的微观形变不均匀性

多晶形变总是不均匀的,不同取向晶粒内激活的滑移系数目不同,微观组织也有差异.这种差异对随后的动(静)态再结晶或相变有不同的影响.本文利用取向成像确定了低碳钢单向压缩条件下浸蚀后在光学镜和扫描电镜下观察到的铁素体晶粒灰度与取向的关系.测出了压缩形变后的主要织构〈111〉和〈100〉取向晶粒内形变不均匀性的差异.同时讨论了形变造成被压碎的珠光体团周围铁素体亚晶转动较快、进而促进动态再结晶的现象.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of C–Si–Mn(–Nb) TRIP steels after simulated thermomechanical processing

Abstract

Continuous and discontinuous cooling tests were performed using a quench deformation dilatometer to develop a comprehensive understanding of the structural and kinetic aspects of the bainite transformation in low carbon TRIP (transformation induced plasticity) steels as a function of thermomechanical processing and composition. Deformation in the unrecrystallised austenite region refined the ferrite grain size and increased the ferrite and bainite transformation temperatures for cooling rates from 10 to 90 K s^-1. The influence of niobium on the transformation kinetics was also investigated. Niobium increases the ferrite start transformation temperature, refines the ferrite microstructure, and stimulates the formation of acicular ferrite. The effect of the bainite isothermal transformation temperature on the final microstructure of steels with and without a small addition of niobium was studied. Niobium promotes the formation of stable retained austenite, which influences the mechanical properties of TRIP steels. The optimum mechanical properties were obtained after isothermal holding at 400°C in the niobium steel containing the maximum volume fraction of retained austenite with acicular ferrite as the predominant second phase.     

Effect of copper on annealing characteristics of interstitial free steels

The effect of copper on the annealing behaviour of interstitial free (IF) steel has been investigated using thermoelectric power (TEP) and resistivity measurements. Kinetics of annealing of cold rolled copper-containing IF steel was found to be sluggish when compared with the base steels. TEP measurement revealed that copper has a negative coefficient of TEP in α-iron.     

管线用超低碳钢中针状铁素体的形成及强韧化行为

通过对一种管线用超低碳钢的变形奥氏体相变工艺的分析，提出了能够获得针状铁素体为主的组织的控制热加工工艺（TMCP）制度，研究了针状铁素体的结构特征和力学特性，结果表明，与管线用中，低碳钢相比较，实验用钢尽管具有很低的碳含量（0．025％），但在当前优化的TMCP工艺下能够获得优良的力学性能，即具有相当的强度和高的冲击韧性，针状铁素体的结构特征提高了材料的力学性能。值得注意的是，在当前肝硬化的TMCP工艺下，针状铁素体晶界上存在一层薄膜，这层薄膜对管线用超低碳钢的强韧性具有重要的作用。     

Microstructure evolution during thermomechanical processing in 3Mn-0.1C medium-Mn steel

ABSTRACT

Medium-Mn steels are energetically investigated as a candidate of the third generation advanced high strength steels (AHSSs). However, their phase transformation and microstructaure evolution during various heat treatments and thermomechanical processing are still unclear. The present study first confirmed the kinetics of static phase transformation behaviour in a 3Mn-0.1C medium-Mn steel. Hot compression tests were also carried out to investigate the influence of high-temperature deformation of austenite on subsequent microstructure evolution. It was found that static ferrite transformation was quite slow in this steel, but ferrite transformation was greatly accelerated by the hot deformation in austenite and ferrite two-phase regions. Characteristic dual-phase microstructures composed of martensite and fine-grained ferrite were obtained, which exhibited superior mechanical properties.

This paper is part of a Thematic Issue on Medium Manganese Steels.     

On the transformation textures influenced by deformation in electrical steels,high manganese steels and pure titanium sheets

Transformation texture is normally different to deformation and recrystallization textures, thus influencing materials properties differently. As deformation and recrystallization are often inseparable to transformation in materials which shows a variety in types such as diffusional or non-diffusional transformations, different phenomena or rules of strengthening transformation textures occur. This paper summarizes the complicated phenomena and rules by comparison of a lot of authors’ published and unpublished data collected from mainly electrical steels, high manganese steels and pure titanium sheets. Three kinds of influencing deformation are identified, namely the dynamic transformation with concurrent deformation and transformation, the transformation preceded by deformation and recrystallization and the surface effect induced transformation, and the textures related with them develop in different mechanisms. It is stressed that surface effect induced transformation is particularly effective to enhance transformation texture. It is also shown that the materials properties are also improved by controlled transformation textures, in particular in electrical steels. It is hoped that these phenomena and processing techniques are beneficial to the establishment of transformation texture theory and property improvement in practice.     

Effect of Mn on strain accumulation in Nb microalloying steels

High Mn is added in line pipe steels to strengthen them. Also, Mn lowers the phase transformation temperature, which is an advantage because it lowers the rolling temperature for grain size control. However, Mn retards the kinetics of precipitation of NbC in thermo-mechanical processing in Nb microalloying steels. In high-grade line pipe steels, the control of strain accumulation behavior is the key to the control of grain size. Strain accumulation can only be obtained when static recrystallization between passes could be suppressed. The effect of NbC precipitates on suppressing recrystallization has been widely investigated, mostly focusing on the Zener pinning of NbC on grain boundaries. However, it is applicable in large strain and long inter-pass time. In short inter-pass time, such as strip mill rolling, recrystallization behavior is controlled by the complicated interaction of precipitation with recovery and recrystallization. In this paper, the effect of Mn on strain accumulation during multi-pass strip mill rolling based on the interaction of precipitates with the activation energy of grain boundary migration and recovery, and the thermodynamics and kinetics of recrystallization are discussed systematically.     

Formation mechanism and control methods of acicular ferrite in HSLA steels: A review

High strength low alloy (HSLA) steels have been widely used in pipelines, power plant components, civil structures and so on, due to their outstanding mechanical properties as high strength and toughness, and excellent weldability. Multi-phase microstructures containing acicular ferrite or acicular ferrite dominated phase have been proved to possess good comprehensive properties in HSLA steels. This paper mainly focuses on the formation mechanisms and control methods of acicular ferrite in HSLA steels. Effect of austenitizing conditions, continuous cooling rate, and isothermal quenching time and temperature on acicular ferrite transformation was reviewed. Furthermore, the modified process to control the formation of multi-phase microstructures containing acicular ferrite, as intercritical heat treatments, step quenching treatments and thermo-mechanical controlled processing, was summarized. The favorable combination of mechanical properties can be achieved by these modified treatments.     

超细晶粒钢制备工艺及机制与传统控轧控冷(TMCP)钢的异同

总结对比了传统控轧控冷(或热机械控制处理,TMCP)钢与超细钢开发制备所用的新型TMCP工艺的特征及其冶金机制.轧前急冷、低温加工与大应变变形(强加工)是超细钢制备工艺的3个必要条件.TMCP的晶粒细化主要靠加工硬化奥氏体的静态铁素体转变.新工艺晶粒细化主要靠形变诱导动态铁素体相变.     

Influence of carbon on hot ductility of steels

Abstract

Hot ductility, measured by reduction in area, has been determined over the temperature range 550–950°C for a series of plain C–Mn steels having the same base composition except for the carbon content, which was in the range 0·04–0·65 wt-%. A ductility trough was obtained for all the steels and minimum ductility values were similar. Raising the carbon content from 0·04 to 0·28 wt–% caused the ductility trough to move to lower temperatures and this was in agreement with the observed changes in transformation temperature. Tensile fracture at the minimum ductility temperature was along thin films of ferrite which formed round the austenite grains – generally by deformation–induced transformation. The softer ferrite allowed strain concentration to cause ductile voiding at the MnS inclusions, and the voids eventually linked up to give intergranular failure. Raising the carbon content above the 0·28% level caused a change in the fracture mode. Instead of the ductility troughs moving to lower temperatures, a shift of over 100 K to higher temperatures was observed. Intergranular failure now occurred in the austenite as a result of grain boundary sliding. It is suggested that this change in fracture mode is caused by carbon increasing the activation energy, and hence the critical strain required for dynamic recrystallization, so favouring the linking of cracks formed by grain boundary sliding.

MST/366     

Kinetics and dilatometric behaviour of non-isothermal ferrite–austenite transformation

Abstract

A model that describes the ferrite–austenite transformation during continuous heating in Armco iron and three very low carbon, low manganese steels with a fully ferritic initial microstructure is presented. This model allows calculation of the volume fractions of austenite and ferrite during transformation as a function of temperature, and hence knowledge of the austenite formation kinetics under non-isothermal conditions in fully ferritic steels. Moreover, since dilatometric analysis is a technique very often used to study phase transformations in steels, a second model, which describes the dilatometric behaviour of the material and calculates the relative change in length that occurs during the ferrite–austenite transformation, has also been developed. Both kinetics and dilatometric models have been validated by comparison of theoretical and experimental dilatometric heating curves. Predicted and experimental results are in satisfactory agreement.     

Interfacial microstructure evolution and bonding mechanisms of 14YWT alloys produced by hot compression bonding

Hot compression bonding was first used to join oxide-dispersion-strengthened ferrite steels (14YWT) under temperatures of 750–1100°C with a true strain range of 0.11–0.51. Subsequently, the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the joints were characterized, revealing that the 14YWT steels could be successfully bonded at a temperature of at least 950 °C with a true strain of 0.22, without degrading the fine grain and nanoparticle distribution, and the presence of inclusions or micro-voids along the bonding interface. Moreover, the joints had nearly the same tensile properties at room temperature and exhibited a similar fracture morphology with sufficient dimples compared to that of the base material. An electron backscattered diffraction technique and transmission electron microscopy were systematically employed to study the evolution of hot deformed microstructures. The results showed that continuous dynamic recrystallization characterized by progressive subgrain rotation occurred in this alloy, but discontinuous dynamic recrystallization characterized by strain-induced grain boundary bulging and subsequent bridging sub-boundary rotation was the dominant nucleation mechanism. The nuclei will grow with ongoing deformation, which will contribute to the healing of the original bonding interface.     

低碳钢形变强化相变时铁素体织构类型的分析

利用背散射电子衍射取向成像技术分析了在热模拟单向压缩条件下Q235碳素钢形变强化相变时铁素体织构的类型。结果表明,在利用形变强化相变实现铁素体的超细化过程中会出现铁素体的相交织构和形变织构,在大应变条件下还会出现动态再结晶织构。在形变强化相变后细晶铁素体在整体上表现为以〈111〉方向为主的线织构。主要的相交织构在粗晶奥氏体内部形变带形核时产生并与〈111〉织构对应。形变织构是在形变时形成的铁素体受到继续变形所致,在形变强化相变过程中及完成后都会产生,对应〈111〉及〈100〉方向的线织构,随着形变的加大,〈100〉方向的织构增加得更快,形变温度的降低有利于形变织构的加强。在形变量很大且形变温度比较合适时(但不能过低)会发生铁素体的动态再结晶,它以连续的方式进行,导致形变织构的进一步加强,并使晶粒均匀细化。     

ULCB钢相变产物粒状与板条状贝氏体组织性能研究

对ULCB钢的主要相变组织粒状贝氏体与板条贝氏体进行了力学性能比较,结果显示粒状贝氏体与板条贝氏体是完全不同的两种组织,较高温度相变产物粒状贝氏体组织较为粗大,对强度和韧性有不利影响,而较低温度相变产物板条贝氏体组织对强度和韧性是有益的.