Effect of bainitic transformation temperature on the mechanical behavior of cold-rolled TRIP steels studied with in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction

The effect of bainitic transformation temperature (400 and 450 °C) after intercritical annealing on the mechanical behavior of a low alloyed C–Mn–Al–Si cold-rolled TRIP steel was investigated using the in-situ high-energy X-ray diffraction technique. It was found that the mechanical behaviors of TRIP steels were dominated by the micromechanical behaviors of constituent phases, such as yield strength of each phase and stress partitioning among different phases, as well as the transformation kinetics of retained austenite during plastic deformation. The microstructures obtained at different bainitic transformation temperatures were similar, but exhibited obviously different mechanical behaviors. The retained austenite in the sample treated at 450 °C with lower carbon content and yield strength was less stable and transformed into martensite at a relatively faster speed during deformation leading to a higher ultimate tensile strength but a smaller uniform elongation. In addition, stress partitioning among constituent phases was also obtained for the investigated steels in such a way that the ferrite matrix undertook smaller stresses and the bainitic ferrite, martensite and retained austenite bore larger ones during plastic deformation. The retained austenite in the sample treated at 400 °C with higher carbon content displayed significantly higher strength and relatively stronger work-hardening capabilities during deformation in comparison to those of the sample treated at 450 °C.