Effect of two step cold rolling — continuous annealing on micro-structures, textures and mechanical properties in IF and IF-HS steel sheets

In the present work, the objectives were to investigate the type of microstructure and texture that developed after two step cold rolling — continuous annealing. Further, an attempt has been made to correlate the microstructure and texture with mechanical properties. Interstitial free (IF) and interstitial free — high strength (IF-HS) steel sheets which contain almost γ-fiber textures, were subjected to two step cold rolling for different percentage of reduction and further continuously annealed. It was observed that cold rolling strengthened the region of (223)[10] and 335[10] orientations of α-fiber as well as γ-fiber. After continuous annealing, cold rolled γ-fiber as well as (223)[10] and 335[10] orientations transformed to extremely strong new γ-fiber. It was found that at two steps 80% cold rolling -continuous annealing, drawability of IF steel sheet was exceptionally high i.e. around 3.15, whereas for IF-HS steel sheets, it was around 2.7. Although, two steps cold rolling -continuous annealing enhanced percentage elongation and stretchability exceptionally, but it reduced the yield strength substantially. However, ultimate tensile strength was hardly affected. In addition, it is also observed that two steps cold rolling — continuous annealing developed uniform grain size in both the grades of steel sheets.