Effect of Nb on dynamic strain induced austenite to ferrite transformation

Dynamic strain induced transformation (DSIT) is an interesting processing route to obtain ultrafine ferrite grains. In the present work, the effect of Nb on DSIT was investigated. Samples of low C-Mn steels, with and without Nb, were intensively deformed in hot torsion, aiming at the production of ultrafine ferrite grains. After soaking at 1200 degrees C, the samples were cooled to 1100 degrees C, submitted to hot torsion deformation to decrease the grain size and then cooled to 900, 850 or 800 degrees C for further hot torsion deformation. In the steel without Nb, recrystallisation took place before enough deformation could be accumulated to induce ferrite formation, so DSIT would only take place at the lowest temperature investigated, 800 degrees C. In the Nb steel, Nb addition delayed austenite recrystallisation, allowing DSIT ferrite to form at higher temperature than in the steel without Nb, 850 degrees C.