Dual phase steels are microstructurally composed of 75-85% ferrite with the remainder being martensite, bainite, and retained austenite. They are processed through thermomechanical treatments to achieve better formability than ferrite-pearlite steels of similar strength. Dual phase steels work harden rapidly at low strains, have low yield strength but high ultimate tensile strength. They were initially developed in the 1960s but further improved in the 1970s for automotive applications requiring increased strength and fuel efficiency. Processing methods like continuous annealing, batch annealing, and as-rolled techniques are used to control the microstructure and resulting mechanical properties.