Effect of V and V-N Microalloying on Deformation-Induced Ferrite Transformation in Low Carbon Steels

Deformation-induced ferrite transformation (DIFT) has been proved to be an effective approach to refine ferrite grains. This paper shows that the ferrite grains can further be refined through combination of DIFT and V or VN microalloying. Vanadium dissolved in γ matrix restrains DIFT. During deformation, vanadium carbonitrides rapidly precipitate due to strain-induced precipitation, which causes decrease in vanadium dissolved in matrix and indirectly accelerates DIFT. Under heavy deformation, deformation induced ferrite (DIF) grains in V microalloyed steel were finer than those in V free steel. The more V added to steel, the finer DIF grains obtained. Moreover, the addition of N to V microalloyed steels can remarkably accelerate precipitation of V,and then promote DIFT. However, DIF grains in V-N microalloyed steel easily coarsen.