Effects of Rare Earths on the Austenite Recrystallization Behavior in X80 Pipeline Steel

In order to improve the effects of rare earths (RE) as microalloy on the recrystallization behavior in the high strength micro-alloyed steel, the X80 pipeline steels with different RE content were produced with a vacuum induction furnace, a series of hot torsion tests were performed under a range of deformation conditions, and the stress-strain curves were analyzed. The results showed that trace RE would improve the austenite recrystallization behavior. The activation energy of deformation and static recrystallization of the austenite in the X80 pipeline steel without RE additions were respectively 393 and 366 kJ/mol. When the RE addition was 0.0025 wt.%, the activation energy of deformation and static recrystallization were reduced by 33 and 29 kJ/mol respectively. But when the RE addition was increased to 0.0220 wt.%, RE would significantly inhibit the dynamic recrystallization of the austenite, the activation energy of deformation would be increased by 35 kJ/mol, but the activation energy of static recrystallization would reduce by 15 kJ/mol.