Effect of hot plastic deformation of austenite on the transformation characteristics of eutectoid carbon steel under fast heating and cooling conditions

The influence of hot compressive plastic deformation (effective strain >40%) on the decomposition kinetics of austenite into pearlite and martensite in a eutectoid carbon steel has been studied. Dilatometer experiments have been carried out in fast heating cycles up to 1100 °C and 1 s austenitization. The results show that the transformation from austenite to pearlite is markedly accelerated and the maximum attainable fraction of pearlite increases with deformation. In contrast, the martensite start temperature is slightly lowered, which is expected for a displacive transformation mechanism due to mechanical stabilization.