Effect of boron on bainitic transformation kinetics after ausforming in low carbon steels

The addition of boron (B) is frequently adopted to increase the hardenability of bainitic steels. Although it is well known that B can retard the bainitic transformation kinetics, it is still not clear how the B affects the bainitic transformation kinetics after ausforming. By systematic high-resolution dilatometry tests, the present work reveals that the bainitic transformation kinetics is accelerated in a low C steel with B addition after ausforming from all aspects including incubation time, transformation velocity and transformed volume fraction. In contrast, for the same steel without B addition, both transformation velocity and transformed volume fraction are retarded after ausforming. It is proposed that ausforming can reduce B segregation at prior austenite grain boundaries as some boron can interact with dislocations and therefore enhance bainite nucleation rate. Furthermore, auforming can refine the average volume of bainitic sheaf. Based on the competing mechanisms between increase of nucleation rate and refinement of bainitic sheaf, the effects of B and ausforming on the bainitic transformation kinetics are discussed.