AbstractSpheroidized and prequenched 0.3C-Cr-Mn-Si steel was quenched from the intercriticalα+γtemperature range and tempered at 250°C. It was shown that intercritical quenching can appreciably improve the ductility of the steel, for the same strength level, compared to conventional quenching and tempering. Additionally, prequenching from theγregion before intercritical quenching gives even larger improvements in the ductility of the steel than merely intercritical quenching, as a result of the development of a lamellar martensitic-ferritic dual-phase structure. The tensile behaviour of the intercritically quenched steel is discussed with emphasis on the strain-hardening exponents of various dual-phase structures.MST/93