Effect of vanadium on microstructure and property of pearlitic steel wire

Abstract

Effects of vanadium micro-alloying on the microstructure and material properties of pearlitic steel were investigated, in an effort to obtain higher strength wire with good thermal stability. Experimental results showed that V element mainly existed in cementite and acted to strengthen cementite within pearlitic wire. Consequently, adding V improved the tensile strength and plasticity of initial pearlitic steel rods. In addition, V additions increased work hardening rate of the steel wires during cold drawing process. Moreover, addition of V increased the fragmentation of cementite during drawing, because the presence of V hardened the cementite and decreased the plasticity of cementite. DSC test results revealed that addition of V postponed the appearance of first exothermic peak and, thus, reduced the thermal impact of the first exothermic peak. However, V additions rendered the wire more vulnerable to the thermal effect caused by the second exothermic peak.