| Abstract Scope |
This study explores the softening behavior of two cerium-modified steels following 60% cold rolling and subsequent subcritical annealing at 600°C for durations of 2 to 16 hours. Post cold rolling, strain accumulation was
more pronounced in the ferrite matrix of the LCe steel (0.03 wt.% Ce) than in the HCe steel (0.6 wt.% Ce). Both samples demonstrated partial recovery and recrystallization, even after 16 hours of annealing. In the early stages of
annealing, strain-free grain nucleation was observed in LCe steel, attributed to available preferential nucleation sites, such as grain and interphase boundaries. However, recrystallization kinetics were subsequently slowed by the pinning
effect of fine CeO₂ and Fe₃C particles. In the HCe steel, early ferrite nucleation was hindered by cerium segregation at grain boundaries. |