Effects of hot deformation and accelerated cooling on microstructural evolution of low carbon microalloyed steels

Using a Gleeble 1500 hot simulator, the effects of hot deformation parameters and accelerated cooling conditions on the microstructural characteristics of low carbon microalloyed steels were investigated by means of compression tests. It was found that the grain refinement effect of single pass reduction in the recrystallisation or unrecrystallisation temperature ranges is weaker than that of two pass reduction in the recrystallisation and unrecrystallisation temperature ranges. However, four pass deformation in the recrystallisation and unrecrystallisation temperature ranges could result in rather fine grained microstructures and, when coupled with moderately high cooling rate, partially acicular ferrite microstructure could be obtained. With the increase of cooling rate, the microstructure becomes finer and the content of acicular ferrite increases. Under similar deformation and cooling conditions, the specimens with relatively high carbon content have more refined microstructures