Effects of ausforming strain on bainite transformation in nanostructured bainite steel

The effects of ausforming strain on bainite transformation in high-carbon low-alloy nanobainite steel were investigated using a Gleeble 3500 thermomechanical simulator machine. The bainite transformation speed at 300°C was found to be accelerated by ausforming at 300, 600, and 700°C under applied strains ranging from 10% to 50% followed by isothermal transformation at 300°C. The ausformed bainite volume fraction varied with the ausforming strain because of the mechanical stabilization of the deformed austenite. Ausforming at low temperatures not only enhanced the bainite ferrite volume fraction but also refined the microstructure substantially. Although the amount of bainite ferrite might have been reduced with increasing strain, the microstructures were refined by ausforming.