The influence of thermomechanical parameters in ferrite grain refinement in a low carbon Nb-microalloyed steel

The ferrite grain refinement in a low carbon Nb-microalloyed steel is investigated in the present work using hot compression experiments for various deformation temperatures. The results indicate that very fine ferrite grains of about 2-4 μm can be obtained by deformation at 760-850 °C, due to the occurrence of strain-induced transformation (SIT) of austenite to ferrite.