Significance of Annealing Twins in Laser Ultrasonic Measurements of Grain Size in High-Strength Low-Alloy Steels

Featured Application On-line measurement of twinned prior austenite grains during steel processing. In this study, we demonstrate the significance of austenite annealing twin boundaries when calibrating laser ultrasonic measurements for gauging austenite grain size in situ during the thermomechanical processing of high-strength low-alloy steels. Simple calculations show how differences in twinning density can lead to errors in grain size measurements if twins are disregarded during calibration and the method is used for a broad range of steels. Conversely, when calibration is performed using alloys with a metastable austenite microstructure at room temperature, the same calibration is suitable for a broad range of HSLA steels, provided that annealing twins are taken into account. Since light optical microscopy does not allow the characterization of annealing twins in low-alloy steel, the verification of the laser ultrasonic results was conducted using the novel approach of comparing the twinned grain sizes obtained using the ultrasonic method in low-alloy steels with the austenite grain maps reconstructed from martensite orientation maps measured using electron backscatter diffraction. Finally, we show how differences in twinning density occur even for alloys with a roughly similar stacking fault energy, further highlighting the importance of annealing twins in the calibration of laser ultrasonic measurements for industrial use.

Automated summary

In this study, the importance of austenite annealing twin boundaries in calibrating laser ultrasonic measurements for gauging austenite grain size during the thermomechanical processing of high-strength low-alloy steels was demonstrated. It was shown how disregarding twins during calibration and using the method for a broad range of steels can lead to errors in grain size measurements. However, calibration using alloys with a metastable austenite microstructure at room temperature, taking into account annealing twins, was suitable for a broad range of HSLA steels. Verification of the laser ultrasonic results was conducted using electron backscatter diffraction, as light optical microscopy does not allow the characterization of annealing twins in low-alloy steel. It was also highlighted that differences in twinning density occur even for alloys with a roughly similar stacking fault energy, emphasizing the importance of annealing twins in laser ultrasonic measurements for industrial use.