High-strength pc steel wire

Abstract

This invention provides a high-strength PC steel wire having a chemical composition containing, in mass %, C: 0.90 to 1.10%, Si: 0.80 to 1.50%, Mn: 0.30 to 0.70%, P: 0.030% or less, S: 0.030% or less, Al: 0.010 to 0.070%, N: 0.0010 to 0.010%, Cr: 0 to 0.50%, V: 0 to 0.10%, B: 0 to 0.005%, Ni: 0 to 1.0%, Cu: 0 to 0.50%, and the balance: Fe and impurities. A ratio between the Vickers hardness (Hv) at a location (surface layer) that is 0.1D [D: diameter of steel wire] from the surface of the steel wire and the Vickers hardness (Hv) of a region on the inner side relative to the surface layer satisfies the formula [1.10<Hv/Hv≤1.15]. An average carbon concentration in a region from the surface to a depth of 10 μm (outermost layer region) of the steel wire is 0.8 times or less a carbon concentration of the steel wire. The steel micro-structure in the region on the inner side relative to the outermost layer region contains, in area %, a pearlite structure: 95% or more. The tensile strength of the steel wire is 2000 to 2400 MPa. The method of producing this high-strength PC steel wire is simple, and the high-strength PC steel wire is excellent in delayed fracture resistance characteristics.