Microstructure evolution during continuous cooling in niobium microalloyed high carbon steels

Effects of microalloyed niobium (Nb) on the austenite decomposition behaviors and microstructure evolution during continuous cooling in the near eutectoid steels were investigated. Compared to the Nb free steel, the Nb microalloyed steel was refined with regard to polygonal ferrite grain, pearlite block and colony sizes. This was because its austenite grain size was smaller. The volume fraction of polygonal ferrite transformed was more in the Nb microalloyed steels, which indicated the eutectoid carbon content exceeded that of pure carbon steel. The spheroidization of pearlite during continuous cooling was enhanced by Nb microalloying, mainly due to a higher critical transformation temperature and the finer pearlite structure with smaller colony size and narrower interlamellar spacing. Hot deformation right above the equilibrium eutectoid temperature accelerated the spheroidization kinetics of pearlite, especially in the Nb microalloyed steel.