Abstract
The microstructure and texture evolution of cold-rolled low carbon steel after ultrafast heating and quenching is investigated. Experiments were carried out at heating rates of 150 °C/s and 1500 °C/s. The recrystallization of ferrite is studied by scanning electron microscopy and electron backscattered diffraction techniques. The texture evolution of cold rolled steel during ultrafast heating was studied, making it possible to estimate the precise effect of heating rate on the orientations of newly formed grains. The experimental results showed that the recrystallization of ferrite was not completed before the full transformation of austenite. The noticeable increase in the fraction of recrystallized grains of diameter less than 1 µm, when the heating rate is increased from 150 °C/s to 1500 °C/s suggests that the increase of the heating rate enhances the nucleation of ferrite. The crystallographic orientations in recrystallized ferrite are strongly influenced by the heating rates. The effect of heating rate in the releasing of stored energy, carbon diffusion and spheroidization of cementite might explain some differences in textures observed in recrystallized ferrite.
Highlights
New processing routes for the production of third generation advanced high strength steels (AHSS) are currently under development [1,2,3,4,5]
The martensite in SEM images is identified by its morphology and location in the microstructure
Ultrafast heating experiments at 150 ◦ C/s and 1500 ◦ C/s to different peak temperatures have been conducted on a cold-rolled low carbon steel
Summary
New processing routes for the production of third generation advanced high strength steels (AHSS) are currently under development [1,2,3,4,5]. The application of ultrafast heating (UFH) to cold-rolled low carbon steel is a growing research field which has recently gained considerable attention from both academic and industry communities. Recent studies [3,4,5,6,7,8] have revealed the potential of UFH for enhancing the mechanical properties of the standard low alloy steel grades. The advantage of applying UFH rates to cold-rolled low carbon steel stems from the great variety of microstructures and the properties that can be derived from them. The adaptability of UFH rates to conventional steel processing lines still remains an issue [9]. The heating rates have been classified in the following ranges: conventional,
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