Microstructure evolution in a pearlitic steel subjected to progressive plastic deformation

This paper deals with the microstructure evolution in a pearlitic steel subjected to progressive plastic deformation produced by repetitive cold drawing. The study is focused on the evolution of the pearlite colony as a whole, so its changes in size and shape as the cold drawing proceeds are analyzed. Results demonstrate that progressive cold drawing slenderise the pearlite colony, this microstructural effect being associated with a clear enlargement of the main axis (that is quasi-parallel to the wire axis or cold drawing direction) and a shortening of the secondary axis (perpendicular to the former), thus producing a decrease of the ellipsoid aspect ratio.