Quantitative evaluation of Cu particle dissolution in cold-worked ferritic steel

Aged Fe-2%Cu alloys containing precipitated Cu particles with different sizes (peak-aged and over-aged) were cold-worked by wire drawing to investigate the dissolution behavior of the Cu particles. Electrical resistivity measurements quantitatively revealed the increment of solute Cu concentration in the ferrite matrix during working. The peak-aged steel containing finer Cu particles experienced a more rapid dissolution compared with the over aged steel. Work softening of the peak-aged steel was also found at strains between 3 and 5, because of the reduction in the partide dispersion-strengthening component from the total strength. Finally, further working resulted in the near complete solution of Cu. (C) 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.