| Abstract: | The objective of this investigation was to study the effect of the intercritical temperature and percentage of cold-deformation on the kinetics auf austenite formation during the intercritical annealing in the alpha + gammy (α + γ) phase field of the iron-carbon phase diagram. This investigation was carried out on an Fe–0.11 C–1.58Mn–0.4 Si ferritic-pearlitic alloy with different structures of 0% (hot-rolled), 25% and 50% cold-deformation. The intercritical annealing temperatures were 735, 750°C and the intercritical annealing time ranged from 15 to 1815 s. It has been observed that recrystallization of the deformed ferrite was completed before any austenite formation. Surprisingly, it was noted that the recrystallized ferrite grain size was independent of percentage cold-deformation. Furthermore, it was expected that cold-deformation accelerates the kinetics of austenite formation. Nevertheless, the amounts of austenite formed from pearlite dissolution were mostly equal, irrespective of the starting condition. As has been previously reported, increasing the intercritical annealing temperature was found to increase the amount of austenite. |
