Microstructure and mechanical properties of cold-drawn pearlitic wires affect by inherited texture

•Wires with inherited texture have higher 〈1 1 0〉 texture intensity than that of wires without inherited texture.•Wires with inherited texture have lower proportion of bent pearlite than that of wires without inherited texture.•Wires with inherited texture have higher work hardening rate and torsion-to-failure angle.

Pearlitic steel rods with inherited texture (IT) were prepared from pre-drawing followed by austenitization treatment. Effects of inherited texture on the microstructure and mechanical properties of cold-drawn pearlitic wires were investigated. The 〈1 1 0〉 texture of ferrite increased with drawing strain and became saturated when strain reached about 2.0. However, wires with IT showed a higher 〈1 1 0〉 texture intensity. The ratio of bent over straight pearlite colonies in wires with IT were about 20% lower than that of wire without IT in drawing. Additionally, Wires with IT showed a greater work hardening rate. Tensile strength of wires without IT increased from 1260 MPa to 3010 MPa as drawing strain increased to 3.5, while wire with IT exhibited an 7% increase in tensile strength (i.e., up to 3230 MPa). Torsion angle of wires with IT were about 13% higher than that of wires without IT. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis showed that wires with IT have higher thermal stability.

Graphical abstractCold drawn wires with inherited texture have higher tensile strength and lower proportion of bent cementite.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide