Effect of carbonitride particles formed in austenite on the strength of microalloyed steels

Precipitation strengthening from two different carbonitride populations was investigated in a niobium and vanadium microalloyed hot-rolled steel. Interphase precipitation as well as carbonitride particles formed in austenite were found to contribute to precipitation strengthening. After normalizing, austenite precipitation strengthening remained effective while the strengthening contribution of interphase precipitation was strongly reduced.