Micro- and nano-structural integrity of cold drawn pearlitic steels: drawing-induced evolution of intracolonial micro-defects

This article deals with the analysis of the evolution of intracolonial micro-defects produced in pearlitic steel wires as a direct result of the cold drawing process. The study was carried out from the observation of the microstructure of wires belonging to the different steps of a real cold drawing chain, formed by seven stages of cold drawing. The evolution of intracolonial micro-defects can be key in the subsequent fracture process of the cold drawn pearlitic steel. The analysis of these micro-defects has been carried out after the observation of micrographs obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).