Fig. 1 Schedule of: a experimental, b thermal dilatometer test

Fig. 2 Microstructure of specimens pre-deformed at 980 and 820 °C: a, b initial austenite before pre-deformation, c, d OM micrographs of original austenite after pre-deformation, e, f SEM micrographs before intercritical deformation (ID), g, h after ID at 690 °C, respectively

Fig. 3 a Stress-strain curve. Effect of order on the values of the critical strains for the specimens pre-deformed at: b 980 °C, c 820 °C

Fig. 4 IPF maps of the specimen deformed at: a 980 °C, b 820 °C. c Misorientation distribution map. d Grain size distribution map. Grain size maps of 0-2.7 μm in Fig. 3a of the specimen deformed at: e 980 °C, f 820 °C. In Fig. 4e, f the yellow squares were selected and enlarged in Fig. 5, and the aqua and yellow arrows indicated the pro-eutectoid ferrite and DIF grains, respectively. In Fig. 4f, the green square was selected and enlarged in Fig. 6, and the aqua ellipse indicated the bainite structure

Fig. 5 Enlarged grain average misorientation (GAM) maps and enlarged band contrast (BC) maps marked by the yellow rectangle in Fig. 3b, c of the specimens pre-deforming at: a, c 980 °C, b, d 820 °C, respectively

Fig. 6 One-group grains representing the pro-eutectoid ferrite selected from the specimens deformed at 820 °C marked by green rectangles: a GAM map and corresponding {100} pole figure, b texture component map with maximum 20° deviation and 3D crystal orientation maps of subgrains A-D, c Taylor factor map with Taylor factor distribution

 Fig. 7a CSL boundaries distribution. b Band contrast map combined with CSL boundaries map of the specimen pre-deformation at 980 °C