THERMOMECHANICAL PROCESSING EFFECTS ON C-MN-SI TRIP STEELS

A variety of thermomechanical-processing treatments were performed on a niobium microalloyed and a nonmicroalloyed Si-Mn transformation-indu ced plasticity steel to generate different austenite conditions (i.e., dynamic and static recrystallization and pancaking) prior to transfor mation. These were, in turn, subjected to different transformation sch edules to generate a variety of microstructures and mechanical propert ies. The various thermomechanical processing and transformation condit ions led to structures with a relatively small variation in ultimate t ensile strength, but tensile elongations to fracture from about 20% to 60%.