Influence of Al content on the strain-hardening behavior of aged low density Fe-Mn-Al-C steels with high Al content

The influence of Al content on the microstructure, deformation behavior and strain hardening rate of aged high strength low density Fe-Mn-Al-C steels was investigated. Increasing the Al content in the steels increases the volume fraction of shearable nanocrystalline coherent kappa-carbide precipitates. This results in strengthening the strain softening effect on glide planes and a decreased density of slip bands, leading to significant decrease of the strain hardening rate. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.