Recrystallization of stabilized ferritic stainless steel sheet

An experimental study of the microstructural evolution attending recrystallization of cold-rolled Ti-stabilized ferritic stainless steel is presented. Particular attention is paid to the slow approach to full recrystallization. It is shown that this “sluggish” recrystallization can be attributed to the heterogeneity of microstructure and texture resulting from the processing of the material. In particular, it is shown that the presence of fine Ti(C,N) precipitates acts to significantly hinder the final approach to full recrystallization.