A new mechanical method is described for following the progress of precipitation in niobium-modified steels. The technique is based on the determination of the strain to the peak stress in high temperature, constant strain rate compression tests. The peak strain is sensitive to holding or aging time prior to testing, thus permitting the kinetics of static precipitation to be determined in either the re crystallized or the predeformed condition. A modification of this technique permits the determination of the kinetics of dynamic pre-cipitation. The rates of static and dynamic precipitation measured in this way are generally 'faster' than the kinetics determined by other methods. The results indicate that the addition of niobium to austenite retards recrystallization in two distinct ways. There is a significant delay introduced by what appears to be a solute effect. In addition, under conditions where precipitation is more rapid than solute- retarded recrystallization, the operation of the recrystallization process is prevented or retarded until precipitation is complete or nearly complete. © 1979 American Society for Metals and the Metallurgical Society of AIME.
