Study on Cooling Process of Hot Rolled Wire Rod with Dual Phase Microstructure

Abstract

In the present paper effect of post deformation cooling rates on microstructure of ER70S-6 steel was investigated by using Gleeble1500 simulator. From the results, a controlling cooling process for obtaining dual phase (DP) microstructure was designed to produce hot rolled wire rod with a diameter of 6.5mm in a continuous no-twist and high-speed wire rolling mill, and the microstructures and the tensile properties of the wire rod were analyzed. The results showed that ER70S-6 steel deformed at 845°C and cooled at a rate of faster than 10°C/s had a DP microstructure with grain size of less than 8.3μm and martensitic volume fraction of 9-11%. The hot rolled wire rod cooled by blowing air had a DP microstructure with a grain size of 8.2μm and martensitic volume fraction of 11.5%. The present wire rod was superior to that of the same steel with ferrite plus pearlite microstructure in tensile properties, with yield strength level of 335-345MPa, ultimate tensile strength level of 600-620MPa, plastic elongation of 26.5-31.5% and strain hardening exponent of 0.221, respectively. ER70S-6 steel wire rod with DP microstructure showed promise of meeting the requirements for grade 8.8 fastener.,In the present paper steel wire rod with DP microstructure showed promise of meeting the requirements for grade 8.8 fastener.