Study on dislocation slips in ferrite and deformation of cementite in cold drawn pearlitic steel wires from medium to high strain

Abstract

The deformation of cementite was studied via optical microscopy and SEM in the longitudinal sections of pearlitic steel wires from medium to high strain. The cementite shows good deformability, the angle between the deformation direction of cementite and drawing direction decreases with increasing strain, and finally the deformation directions of cementite turn to the drawing axis at high strains. The deformation of the cementite is strongly related to plastic deformation in the ferrite, with coarse slip steps, S-bands and cracks across cementite observed parallel to either {110}_α-Fe or {112}_α-Fe plane traces determined by the largest Schmid factors.

Keywords:

• Pearlite steel wire
• Cold drawing
• EBSD
• Deformation of cementite

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to NV Bekaert SA Technology Center Laboratory (Zwevegem, Belgium) for the supply of pearlitic steel wires used in the present investigation. The financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China (project no. 50890172) and NV Bekaert SA are deeply appreciated.