STRUCTURE-PROPERTY CORRELATION IN LOW-CARBON LOW-ALLOY HIGH-STRENGTH WIRE RODS WIRES CONTAINING RETAINED AUSTENITE/

An investigation has been carried out to produce high strength wire fr om low carbon dual phase steels which have high strain hardening rate and superior formability compared to high strength low alloy steels. T his dual phase wire is an alternative to conventional high carbon, hig h strength wire which requires intermediate patenting operations durin g drawing to thinner gauges. An industrial heat of C-Mn-Si-Cr chemistr y has been produced and processed to wire rod in two different modern mills. Mechanical properties of the rods have been evaluated and corre lated with microstructure. Steel rods produced through Stelmore proces s process could be cold drawn upto 0.69 mm dia.(98.9% reduction) witho ut intermediate patenting while rods produced through EDC process did not yield the desired properties. Presence of high volume fraction of retained austenite and fine martensite in the rods produced through St elmore process have been found to offer beneficial effects during wire drawing.