Effect of pre-deformation mode on the microstructures and mechanical properties of Hadfield steel

Abstract

The microstructures and tensile properties of a conventional Hadfield steel subjected to explosion and cold rolling deformation modes were investigated in the current study. The deformation mode significantly changed the microstructure and tensile properties of the Hadfield steel. The grains in cold rolling condition were largely elongated along the rolling direction; however most grains in the exploded sample retained their equiaxed morphologies. The strain concentration was localized at the grain boundaries, and the change in the population of ∑3 annealing twin and ∑9 boundaries was smaller in the exploded sample than in the rolled condition. Moreover, the deformation twins were formed uniformly along grain boundaries in the Hadfield steel under the explosion condition. However, they primarily appeared as twin bundles in the cold rolled state. The change in the microstructure characteristics resulted in higher yield strength but lower tensile strength and elongation in the exploded sample compared with the cold rolled condition.