Fast heating annealing of V-microalloyed TWIP steel: Pathway to ultrafine grains and enhanced mechanical performance

This study explores the effect of fast heating annealing (FHA) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of V-microalloyed high-Mn TWIP steel. Cold-rolled sheets were subjected to FA cycles at a heating rate of 200 °C/s over a temperature range of 700–900 °C for 30 s. The microstructures achie...

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Main Authors: Atef Hamada, Ali Khosravifard, Tuomas Alatarvas, Matias Jaskari, Walaa Abd-Elaziem, Tarek Allam, Antti Järvenpää
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425015868
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author Atef Hamada
Ali Khosravifard
Tuomas Alatarvas
Matias Jaskari
Walaa Abd-Elaziem
Tarek Allam
Antti Järvenpää
author_facet Atef Hamada
Ali Khosravifard
Tuomas Alatarvas
Matias Jaskari
Walaa Abd-Elaziem
Tarek Allam
Antti Järvenpää
author_sort Atef Hamada
collection DOAJ
description This study explores the effect of fast heating annealing (FHA) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of V-microalloyed high-Mn TWIP steel. Cold-rolled sheets were subjected to FA cycles at a heating rate of 200 °C/s over a temperature range of 700–900 °C for 30 s. The microstructures achieved through FHA were characterized using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), while mechanical performance was evaluated through uniaxial tensile testing and physically based modeling.FHA at lower temperatures (700–800 °C) promoted partially recrystallized structures, while fully recrystallized ultrafine-grained microstructures were obtained at 850–900 °C. The optimized structure achieved at 850 °C showcased an exceptional strength–ductility balance, with a yield strength of 415 MPa, tensile strength of 850 MPa, and elongation of 60 %, resulting in a high UTS × TE product of 50700 MPa·%. Fractographic analysis revealed ductile failure dominated by dimple formation, with voids nucleated at non-metallic inclusions.Inclusion classification and statistical analysis further identified Al2O3–Mn(S,Se) as the most dominant inclusion type, with complex multiphase clusters also observed, indicating their role in damage initiation. The applied mechanistic modeling and strain-hardening analysis confirmed that dynamic Hall–Petch strengthening, driven by mechanical twinning and grain refinement, significantly enhanced strain hardening and delayed plastic deformation instability.These findings demonstrate that FHA offers a viable, time-efficient processing strategy for tailoring microstructure and optimizing the mechanical performance of high-Mn TWIP steels through controlled recrystallization, twin activation, and precipitation strengthening.
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spelling doaj-art-2e8d2dbd9968418fb046cc09228d8dab2025-08-20T03:24:04ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542025-07-01372449246210.1016/j.jmrt.2025.06.164Fast heating annealing of V-microalloyed TWIP steel: Pathway to ultrafine grains and enhanced mechanical performanceAtef Hamada0Ali Khosravifard1Tuomas Alatarvas2Matias Jaskari3Walaa Abd-Elaziem4Tarek Allam5Antti Järvenpää6Kerttu Saalasti Institute, Future Manufacturing Technologies (FMT), University of Oulu, Pajatie 5, FI-85500, Nivala, Finland; Corresponding author at: Kerttu Saalasti Institute, Future Manufacturing Technologies (FMT), University of Oulu, Finland. Tel.: +358 45 251 6553.Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Abadeh Higher Education Center, Shiraz University, Abadeh, 73916, IranProcess Metallurgy Research Unit, Centre for Advanced Steel Research, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4300, FI-90014, Oulu, FinlandKerttu Saalasti Institute, Future Manufacturing Technologies (FMT), University of Oulu, Pajatie 5, FI-85500, Nivala, FinlandDepartment of Mechanical Design and Production Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, P.O. Box 44519, Egypt; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, United StatesInstitute of Energy Materials and Devices - Structure and Function of Materials (IMD− 1), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52428 Jülich, GermanyKerttu Saalasti Institute, Future Manufacturing Technologies (FMT), University of Oulu, Pajatie 5, FI-85500, Nivala, FinlandThis study explores the effect of fast heating annealing (FHA) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of V-microalloyed high-Mn TWIP steel. Cold-rolled sheets were subjected to FA cycles at a heating rate of 200 °C/s over a temperature range of 700–900 °C for 30 s. The microstructures achieved through FHA were characterized using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), while mechanical performance was evaluated through uniaxial tensile testing and physically based modeling.FHA at lower temperatures (700–800 °C) promoted partially recrystallized structures, while fully recrystallized ultrafine-grained microstructures were obtained at 850–900 °C. The optimized structure achieved at 850 °C showcased an exceptional strength–ductility balance, with a yield strength of 415 MPa, tensile strength of 850 MPa, and elongation of 60 %, resulting in a high UTS × TE product of 50700 MPa·%. Fractographic analysis revealed ductile failure dominated by dimple formation, with voids nucleated at non-metallic inclusions.Inclusion classification and statistical analysis further identified Al2O3–Mn(S,Se) as the most dominant inclusion type, with complex multiphase clusters also observed, indicating their role in damage initiation. The applied mechanistic modeling and strain-hardening analysis confirmed that dynamic Hall–Petch strengthening, driven by mechanical twinning and grain refinement, significantly enhanced strain hardening and delayed plastic deformation instability.These findings demonstrate that FHA offers a viable, time-efficient processing strategy for tailoring microstructure and optimizing the mechanical performance of high-Mn TWIP steels through controlled recrystallization, twin activation, and precipitation strengthening.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425015868High-Mn TWIP steelFast annealingMicrostructureRecrystallizationMechanical propertiesPhysically based modeling
spellingShingle Atef Hamada
Ali Khosravifard
Tuomas Alatarvas
Matias Jaskari
Walaa Abd-Elaziem
Tarek Allam
Antti Järvenpää
Fast heating annealing of V-microalloyed TWIP steel: Pathway to ultrafine grains and enhanced mechanical performance
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
High-Mn TWIP steel
Fast annealing
Microstructure
Recrystallization
Mechanical properties
Physically based modeling
title Fast heating annealing of V-microalloyed TWIP steel: Pathway to ultrafine grains and enhanced mechanical performance
title_full Fast heating annealing of V-microalloyed TWIP steel: Pathway to ultrafine grains and enhanced mechanical performance
title_fullStr Fast heating annealing of V-microalloyed TWIP steel: Pathway to ultrafine grains and enhanced mechanical performance
title_full_unstemmed Fast heating annealing of V-microalloyed TWIP steel: Pathway to ultrafine grains and enhanced mechanical performance
title_short Fast heating annealing of V-microalloyed TWIP steel: Pathway to ultrafine grains and enhanced mechanical performance
title_sort fast heating annealing of v microalloyed twip steel pathway to ultrafine grains and enhanced mechanical performance
topic High-Mn TWIP steel
Fast annealing
Microstructure
Recrystallization
Mechanical properties
Physically based modeling
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425015868
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