Calculation of Austenite Formation Kinetics of Copper-Bearing Steel During Continuous Heating

The kinetics of austenite formation in a new type of copper-bearing steel with initial microstructure composed of ferrite and bainite was investigated by using dilatometric analysis and measurement during continuous heating. The formation of austenite was observed to occur in two stages. The first stage is the dissolution of ferrite and most bainite, followed by the second stage of dissolution of bainite and formation of austenite. The first stage takes place through diffusion and the second stage through shear. The critical temperature of austenite formation during continuous heating increases with increasing heating rates, which therefore exerts a greater influence on the As1 temperature of the austenite formation. Kinetics calculation shows that the process is mainly controlled by diffusion when the heating rate is over 1 °C/s.