Effect of hot-rolling temperature on microstructure and texture of an ultra-low carbon Ti-interstitial-free steel

Effect of finishing temperature in hot-rolling on the microstructure and texture of a cold-rolled and continuously annealed ultra-low carbon Ti-interstitial-free steel has been investigated. The finishing temperature in hot-rolling was varied from 900 °C in austenite region to 750 °C in ferrite region. Lankford value of the annealed sheet was decreased with a decrease in the finishing temperature to the ferrite region. This might be related to both the stronger {100} <011> texture of the annealed sheet and the texture inhomogeneity in the through-thickness direction of the hot bands rolled in ferrite region. The major component of the recrystallization texture was near {554} <225> irrespective of the hot-rolling temperature, but the intensity of {100} <011> texture was increased with the decrease in the finishing temperature in hot-rolling.