Texture Evolution during Annealing of Warm Rolled Cr-Containing Low Carbon Steels

Abstract

Two low carbon steels alloyed with 0.48wt% and 0.78wt% Cr were warm rolled to 65% reduction at 640°C. Annealing was carried out at 710°C to achieve a range of recrystallized volume fractions up to 100%. Texture analysis was performed by X-ray diffraction and Electron Back Scattering Diffraction. During the initial stages of recrystallization, more recrystallized grains nucleated at shear bands than at grain boundaries in the 0.48wt%Cr steel, whereas this was not the case in the 0.78wt%Cr steel. This is associated with a decrease in the propensity to form shear bands due to the lower amount of C in solid solution in the high-Cr steel. Additionally, the nuclei showed a preference to develop the same fiber as the deformed region within which they nucleated. In both steels, an increase in the annealing time led to the deterioration of the ND (or γ) –fiber and a strengthening of both the RD (or α) –fiber and Goss component. In the fully recrystallized samples, the ND component was somewhat stronger in the steel with the higher Cr content.