Effect of niobium on the microstructure and mechanical properties of hot rolled microalloyed steels after recrystallization-controlled rolling

Microalloyed steels with increased strength and ductility are of considerable interest for use in the ‘as-hotrolled’ condition. However, there is a lack of information on their microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties. Seven different microalloyed steels with variable Nb and C content were evaluated in this work. First, characterization of the microstructure by optical and scanning and transmission electron microscopy was performed. Different microstructural constituents and grain size distributions were observed, and three different groups of precipitates were identified. For all steels, tensile tests were performed and ductile-to-brittle transition temperatures were determined. Finally, the complex interplay between microstructural features and mechanical properties was analyzed to determine structure-property relations for the steels under evaluation.