Grain-Size Control in Steels

AbstractAn account has been given of the methods of grain-size control in steels. The importance of particle pinning in inhibiting grain coarsening has been described and some consideration given to the solubities and coarsening characteristics of the particles themselves. Grain-size control by hot working has also been considered, where the recrystallization characteristics of the austenite are important in connection. with the grain size of the ferrite-transformation product. The effects of second-phase particles on the recrystallization of cold-worked carbon steels have also been considered. The importance of the integrated nucleation rate on the final grain size has been demonstrated, independent of whether the ferrite grains are formed by transformation or by recrystallization.The mechanism of secondary recrystallization has been described, and it is suggested that this process can be caused by the presence of critically dispersed second-phase particles.