Crystallography and Mechanical Properties of Ultrafine TRIP-Aided Multi-Phase Steels

This study aims at examining thermomechanical controlled process to realize ultrafine TRIP-aided multi-phase microstructures in low carbon steels. Heavy deformation at a supercooled austenite region was found to lead the formation of 2 μm ferrite as well as retained austenite with high volume fraction. The morphology of retained austenite was changed from film-like shape to granular shape with lowering finish rolling temperature in austenite field. This ultrafine TRIP-aided multi-phase steel showed good balance of tensile strength with total elongation, ie. 1080MPa and 26.9%. A novel in-situ neutron diffraction measurement demonstrated that the retained granular austenite transformed to martensite at a relatively large strain compared with the retained film austenite. The therein-underlying mechanism of the good mechanical properties was discussed from the view points of the morphological and thermodynamical stabilization of retained austenite.