Dissolution of Cementite Plates by Drawing, Re-Precipitation with Annealing and Corresponding Changes in Tensile Behavior in a Pearlite Steel

The microstructural change with drawing and subsequent annealing for a patented pearlite steel was investigated by means of neutron diffraction. The dissolution of cementite plates with drawing and re-precipitation of spherical cementite particles with annealing after sever drawing were observed. In situ neutron diffraction during tensile loading was performed and it is revealed that the strengthening mechanism of the specimen without cementite differs from that for a ferrite-cementite steel where the load transfer is a main mechanism. The possible strengthening mechanism for the heavily drawn specimen is proposed.