Modeling of the Recrystallization and Austenite Formation Overlapping in Cold-Rolled Dual-Phase Steels During Intercritical Treatments

Austenite formation kinetics of a DP1000 steel was investigated from a ferrite–pearlite microstructure (either fully recrystallized or cold-rolled) during typical industrial annealing cycles by means of dilatometry and optical microscopy after interrupted heat treatments. A marked acceleration of the kinetics was found when deformed ferrite grains were present in the microstructure just before austenite formation. After having described the austenite formation kinetics without recrystallization and the recrystallization kinetics of the steel without austenite formation by simple JMAK laws, a mixture law was used to analyze the kinetics of the cold-rolled steel for which austenite formation and recrystallization may occur simultaneously. In the case where the interaction between these two phenomena is strong, three main points were highlighted: (i) the heating rate greatly influences the austenite formation kinetics, as it affects the degree of recrystallization at the austenite start temperature; (ii) recrystallization inhibition above a critical austenite fraction accelerates the austenite formation kinetics; (iii) the austenite fractions obtained after a 1 hour holding deviate from the local equilibrium fractions given by Thermo-Calc, contrary to the case of the recrystallized steel. This latter result could be due to the fact that the dislocations of the deformed ferrite matrix could promote the diffusion of the alloying elements of the steel and accelerate austenite formation.