Partitioning of Solute Elements and Microstructural Changes during Heat-treatment of Cold-rolled High Strength Steel with Composite Microstructure

The partitioning of solute elements during intercritical annealing and the effects on ferrite transformation slow cooling after in a 0.17% C-1.5% Si-1.7% Mn (mass%) steel were investigated by new FE-EPMA (field emission electron probe microanalysis) technique. This technique enables highly accurate measurement C distribution. During annealing, concentrated into austenite, while Si ferrite. distribution austenite was inhomogeneous, with small content transformed cooling. proceeded NPLE (negligible local equilibrium) mode. Two kinds produced due to cooling, one being intercritically-annealed ferrite, other had larger than Furthermore, classified grown epitaxially from that nucleated relatively content. Prior microstructure before are determined conditions, then control transformation. Precise is effective for stable production cold-rolled high strength composite microstructure.