Precipitation Behavior of V-N Microalloyed Steels during Normalizing

The precipitation behavior of V-N microalloyed steel during normalizing process was studied by physicochemical phase analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effect of precipitation behavior on mechanical properties was investigated by theoretical calculations. The results showed that 32.9% of V(C,N) precipitates remained undissolved in the austenite during the soaking step of the normalizing process. These precipitates prevented the growth of the austenite grains. During the subsequent cooling process, the dissolved V(C,N) re-precipitated and played a role in precipitation strengthening. The undissolved V(C,N) induced intragranular ferrite nucleation and refined the ferrite grains. Consequently, compared with hot-rolled steel, the normalized steel exhibited increased grain-refining strengthening but diminished precipitation strengthening, leading to an improvement of the impact energy at the expense of about 40 MPa yield strength.