Effect of Grain Size on the Microstructure and Strain Hardening Behavior of Solution Heat-Treated Low-C High-Mn Steel

The low-carbon high-Mn austenitic steel microalloyed with titanium was investigated in this work. The steel was solution heat-treated at different temperatures in a range from 900 to 1200 °C. The aim was to receive a different grain size before the static tensile test performed at room temperature. The samples of different grain sizes showed the different strain hardening behavior and resulting mechanical properties. The size of grain diameter below 19 μm was stable up to 1000 °C. Above this temperature, the very enhanced grain growth took place with the grain diameter higher than 220 μm at 1200 °C. This huge grain size at the highest temperature resulted in the premature failure of the sample showing the lowest strength properties at the same time. Correlations between the grain size, the major strengthening mechanism, and fracture behavior were addressed. The relationships were assessed based on microstructural investigations and fractography tests performed for the deformed samples. The best combination of strength and ductility was found for the samples treated at 1000–1100 °C.