Structural developments in un-stabilized ultra low carbon steel during warm deformation and annealing

In the present investigation, ultra low carbon steel samples were deformed in plane strain compression mode in a deformation simulator. The deformation was carried out at four different temperatures in the warm rolling region (293, 473, 673 and 873 K) upto 70% strain at two different strain rates (0.1/s and 1/s). Subsequently, all the deformed samples were fully recrystallized at 1073 K. Afterwards, all the deformed and fully recrystallized samples were subjected to detailed microstructural characterization using optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and electron backscattered diffraction. Bulk texture was measured for all the samples by X-ray diffraction. In-grain misorientation developments (kernel average misorientations) were estimated for the deformed γ-fibre (ND//<111>) and α-fibre (RD//<110>). Deformed γ-fibre showed an increase in in-grain misorientation at intermediate deformation temperatures. This increase was explained by using the plastic instability criterion. After complete recrystallization, the γ-fibre strengthened for deformation at lower temperatures (293 K and 473 K), while Goss texture developed for samples deformed at higher temperatures (673 K and 873 K).