Investigation of Recovery and Recrystallization during Hot Rolling of Stainless Steels with High Speed Laboratory Mill

It is very difficult to investigate how recovery, dynamic or static recrystallization proceeds during hot rolling of steel. In the present study, a unique combination of high speed laboratory rolling mill and water cooling facility enables quenching the microstructure immediately after rooling. By using this method, process of recovery and recrystallization was studied in hot rolling of austenitic and ferritic stainless steels. Inhomogeneities of equivalent strain and recrystallization are observed through the thickness of rolled specimens. A layer of finely recrystallized grains is formed at the position of maximum equivalent strain just below the surface. The fine grains are thought to originate from dynamic recrystallization, which occurs during high reduction rolling at high temperature.