Deformation Resistance during Warm Working and Strength of Warm-Worked Products of Middle Carbon Steels

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify the optimum approach to obtain high tensile strength after warm working, without increasing warm deformation resistance during warm working of medium carbon steel. Increase in warm deformation resistance during warm working by addition of Cr is small. On the other hand, Cr has the effect of suppressing the annihilation of dislocations in the air cooling process after warm working. Thus, by adding Cr, the tensile strength after warm working is effectively improved, without increasing warm deformation resistance during warm working. Increasing of Si is effective as a method to obtain high tensile strength after warm working, without increasing warm deformation resistance during warm working, too. Si has an effect of the solid solution hardening. This effect by increasing Si is due to the large temperature dependence of solid solution hardening effect. The control of microstructural factors, that are pearlite fraction and cementite spacing, is not effective as a method to obtain high tensile strength after warm working, without increasing warm deformation resistance during warm working.