Effect of silicon on the age softening of high carbon steel wire

The effect of silicon on age softening was investigated in high carbon wires cold drawn (79 percent reduction) and aged for one minute. The peak of strain age hardening took place at 250 °C. The amount of age hardening increased with increasing strain, but not with the silicon content. The yield strength began to decrease at temperatures above 400 °C. Increase in silicon content diminished the amount of strength reduction. The effect of silicon on the suppression of age softening may be caused by a decrease of in the breakup and spheroidization of lamellar cementite in view of the existence of high silicon concentration areas near the ferrite-cementite interfaces.