Ultrafine-grained dual phase microalloyed V-Nb steel with ultimate tensile strength of 1371 MPa and uniform elongation of 16 pct characterized by bimodal ferrite grain structure was obtained through warm rolling and subsequent intercritical annealing. The bimodal ferrite grain structure with uniform dispersion of Nb/V carbides and strong γ-fiber texture promoted high strain hardening rate and high uniform elongation and high strength is attributed to ultrafine-grained ferrite and martensite. © 2014, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International.

V. Subramanya Sarma

Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

S. Sankaran

M. Papa Rao

Carbides

Crystal microstructure

DISPERSION HARDENING

ferrite

Grain size and shape

Microalloying

Strain hardening

Strain rate

Tensile strength

BIMODAL GRAINS

FIBER TEXTURE

High strength

INTERCRITICAL ANNEALING

Ultimate tensile strength

ULTRA-FINE-GRAINED

UNIFORM DISPERSIONS

UNIFORM ELONGATION

Elongation

IIT Madras is a public technical and research university located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Founded in 1959, it is recognised as an Institute of National Importance.

IIT Madras has been ranked as the top engineering institute in India for four years in a row by the National Institutional Ranking Framework of the MHRD

It currently offers undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees across 16 disciplines in Engineering, Sciences, Humanities and Management. About 596 faculty belonging to science and engineering departments and centres of the Institute are engaged in teaching, research and industrial consultancy.

IIT Madras

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science

Ultrafine-grained (UFG) dual-phase (DP) steel was produced by severe cold rolling (true strain of 2.4) and intercritical annealing of a low carbon V-Nb microalloyed steel in a temperature range of 1003 K to 1033 K (730 °C to 760 °C) for 2 minutes, and water quenching. The microstructure of UFG DP steels consisted of polygonal ferrite matrix with homogeneously distributed martensite islands (both of size <1 µm) and a small fraction of the inter lath films of retained austenite. The UFG DP steel produced through intercritical annealing at 1013 K (740 °C) has good combination of strength (1295 MPa) and ductility (uniform elongation, 13 pct). The nanoscale V- and Nb-based carbides/carbonitrides and spheroidized cementite particles have played a crucial role in achieving UFG DP microstructure and in improving the strength and work hardening. Analysis of work hardening behavior of the UFG DP steels through modified Crussard–Jaoul analysis showed a continuously varying work hardening rate response which could be approximated by 2 or 3 linear regimes. The transmission electron microscopy analysis on post tensile-tested samples indicated that these regimes are possibly related to the work hardening of ferrite, lath, and twin martensite, respectively. © 2016, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of V-Nb Microalloyed Ultrafine-Grained Dual-Phase Steels Processed Through Severe Cold Rolling and Intercritical Annealing

Processing of Bimodal Grain-Sized Ultrafine-Grained Dual Phase Microalloyed V-Nb Steel with 1370 MPa Strength and 16 pct Uniform Elongation Through Warm Rolling and Intercritical Annealing

Journal	Data powered by TypesetMetallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science
Publisher	Data powered by TypesetSpringer Boston
ISSN	10735623
Open Access	No