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The correlation among thermo-mechanical controlled processing (TMCP) parameters, microstructures and mechanical properties of an acicular ferrite (AF) pipeline steel was investigated in this study. The steel was hot rolled by four different kinds of TMCP to obtain different AF microstructures, and the corresponding mechanical properties were analyzed. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis was conducted to determine the effective grain size (EGS) in the steel. It was found that the EGS in the steel reduced obviously with decrease of the finish rolling temperature (FRT), but little changed with the cooling rate (CR) and the simulated coiling temperature (SCT). Additionally, the fraction of low angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) increased with increasing CR in the experimental range. It was shown that yield strength of the steel was enhanced by the increased CR and SCT, and reduced FRT, which were corresponding with the increases of LAGB fraction and precipitated carbonitrides as well as the decrease of EGS, respectively. Charpy impact results showed that the low temperature toughness of the steel with FRT about 40 degrees C above Ar(3) tended to be the best, which was in good accordance with the highest fraction of high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs), but seemed not to be related with the EGS. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.