Microstructure and crystallographic texture of an ultrafine grained C–Mn steel and their evolution during warm deformation and annealing

The evolution of microstructure and texture of a 0.2%C–Mn steel during large strain warm deformation and subsequent annealing has been investigated. The process of grain subdivision during warm deformation is essential for the formation of ultrafine grains in such a material. The study reveals that pronounced recovery instead of primary recrystallization is required to obtain a large fraction of high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) as a prerequisite for the development of ultrafine grains in the course of warm deformation. The prevalence of primary recrystallization instead of recovery is not generally beneficial in this context since it reduces significantly the dislocation density and removes the substructure which is important for the gradual formation of subgrains and, finally, of ultrafine grains which are surrounded by HAGBs. Consistently, the texture of the ultrafine grained 0.2%C–Mn steel observed after large strain warm deformation and subsequent annealing, consists primarily of the α-(〈1 1 0〉∥RD) texture fiber which indicates strong recovery. The γ-(〈1 1 1〉∥ND) texture fiber which is typical of recrystallized rolled ferritic steels does not appear. The process occurring during the deformation and subsequent annealing can, therefore, be interpreted as a pronounced recovery process during which new grains are created without preceding nucleation.