Microstructure and texture evolution in fully pearlitic steel during wire drawing

The evolution of morphology of pearlite and crystallographic texture of ferrite matrix in fully pearlitic steels during wire drawing were quantitatively investigated.The study revealed that a fiber structure of the pearlite morphology and a <110> fiber texture of the ferrite matrix begin to take shape and develop gradually with increasing strain.The growth rates of the fiber structure and the <110> texture are different in different regions within the wires with increasing drawing strain.There is a close relationship between the pearlite morphology and the crystalline texture during wire drawing.The pearlite interlamellar spacing(ILS) and thickness of cementite lamellae(T) decrease gradually both in longitudinal and transverse sections.The definition of pearlite colony should be reconsidered for describing microstructure of the wire drawing deformed pearlitic steels.