Evolution of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties Attainment in Fe–19Mn–0.6C–4Si–3Al–0.04Nb Steel Upon Thermo-Mechanical Processing

The Fe19Mn steel has been designed and processed in various route in order to achieve excellent combination of strength and ductility. Real-time experiments have been carried out, that is analyzed in this paper. The influence of the microstructures on the mechanical properties is critically studied to comprehend the structure-property correlations of Fe19Mn steel. The adoption of high strength-low density steel in electric vehicles presents a range of benefits related to outstanding energy absorption, decreased weight, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and a favorable influence on the environment. Additionally, its integration into electric and hybrid motor vehicles plays a vital role in weight management, a particularly important consideration given the typically higher weight of these motors compared to conventional ones. In the context of our research, we have achieved successful development of an advanced steel modified with Niobium. This steel variant exhibits remarkable characteristics, including impressive strength (approximately 1 GPa), low density (measuring 6.66 ± 0.2 g cm⁻³), and exceptionally high ductility (> 100% elongation). This noteworthy combination of properties can be attributed to a combination of precipitation hardening, Twinning-Induced Plasticity, and Transformation-Induced Plasticity effects.