Effect of deformation on the austenite-to-ferrite transformation in a plain carbon and two microalloyed steels

Abstract

Isothermal compression tests were carried out on three steels: (i) a plain C, (ii) a Mo, and (iii) a Mo-Nb-V microalloyed grade in order to study the effect of deformation on the austenite-to-ferrite transformation. Dynamic TTT (DTTT) curves were determined, which show clearly the extent to which deformation accelerates the decomposition of austenite. The latter effect is diminished by the addition of the alloying elements Mo, Nb, and V and is further reduced as the temperature is increased. The substitutional elements Mo, Nb, and V appear to reduce the nucleation rate through reduction of the austenite grain boundary energy. The growth rate is also reduced by these elements, apparently through the solute drag-like effect. The microstructural results indicate that the ferrite formed under dynamic conditions becomes more homogeneous and finer when the strain rate or the temperature is increased. Under static conditions, increasing the prestrain or the prestraining strain rate accelerates the γ-to-α transformation and reduces the mean grain size of the ferrite, although the highest transformation rate is still associated with the dynamic case.