Effect of Hot Band Annealing on Forming Limit Diagrams of Ultra-Pure Ferritic Stainless Steel

Abstract

In order to better understand the texture evolution, coincidence site lattice (CSL) and forming limit diagrams (FLDs) of ferritic stainless steels with and without hot band annealing, the texture evolution and CSL of ferritic stainless steels with 15% Cr content were studied by using x-ray diffraction and electron back-scattered diffraction technique. The strain hardening exponent n value, the strength coefficient K value, and Plastic strain ratio r value are the key parameters for the FLD. It was found out that the FLDo of plane strain condition and the stretchability were mainly influenced by their n value and K value, respectively. The higher n value and K value, better was the stretchability of investigated steels. The intensity of the γ-fiber dominated by {111} 〈112〉 was improved significantly in the cold rolled and annealed sheets because of a hot band annealing treatment and the sharp increase of Σ13b CSL boundaries. The increase of the formability is attributed to the significantly increase of the r value.