Dynamic recrystallisation of as cast austenite in 18–8 stainless steel

Abstract

Dynamic recrystallisation behaviour of an as cast 0Cr18Ni9Ti stainless steel during hot deformation was investigated by hot compression test at a temperature range of 950–1200°C and strain rate of 5 × 10^-3–1 × 10^-1 s^-1. Change of austenite grain size owing to dynamic recrystallisation was also studied by microstructural observation. The experimental results showed that the hot deformation conditions, such as temperature, strain, and strain rate determine the dynamic recrystallisation behaviour for the as cast stainless steel, and the dynamically recrystallised grain size is determined by the deformation conditions and is independent of the strain.     

Microstructural evolution and flow behaviour during hot compression of twin roll cast ZK60 magnesium alloy

Abstract

Microstructural evolution and flow behaviour during hot compression of twin roll cast ZK60 magnesium alloy were characterised by employing deformation temperatures of 300, 350 and 400°C and strain rate ranging from 10^?3 to 100 s^?1. When compressed at 10^?3 s^?1, all stress–strain curves at different temperatures (300, 350 and 400°C) showed a flow softening behaviour due to active dynamic recrystallisation. When compressed at 10^?2 s^?1 and elevated temperatures (300, 350 and 400°C), all stress–strain curves showed a flow stress drop after peak stress due to twinning for 300 and 350°C deformation and recrystallisation for 400°C deformation. The balance between shear deformation and recrystallisation resulted in a steady flow behaviour after the true strain reached 0·22. When strain rate increased to 10^?1 s^?1, a small fraction of dynamic recrystallisation in shear deformation region was responsible for slight flow softening behaviour during compression. A flow hardening appeared due to basal and non-basal slips when deformed at 100 s^?1. It is suggested that the flow behaviour during hot compression of twin roll cast ZK60 alloy depends on the separating effect or combined effects of shear deformation, twinning and recrystallisation.     

Superplastic behaviour of annealed AA 8090 Al-Li alloy

Abstract

High temperature flow behaviour and microstructural evolution were investigated in an annealed AA 8090 Al - Li alloy over the temperature range 623 - 803 K and strain rate range ~ 6 × 10⁶ - 3 × 10² s^-1. Stress - strain rate data, obtained using a differential strain rate test technique and plotted in log - log scale, exhibited three regions I, II, and III, with increasing strain rate. In these regions, the values of strain rate sensitivity index m and the activation energy for deformation were determined to be 0.17, 0.43, and 0.17; and 758.8, 93.3, and 184.3 kJ mol^-1, respectively. The stress - strain curves obtained from constant strain rate tests exhibited flow hardening at lower strain rates and higher temperatures whereas flow softening occurred at higher strain rates and lower temperatures. The microstructural evolution revealed the dominance of grain growth under the former conditions and dynamic recrystallisation under the latter conditions. Ductility and m were found to increase with temperature, with the maximum values of 402% and 0.55, respectively, at a temperature 803 K and strain rate 2 × 10^-4 s^-1.     

Study of fractional softening of AZ31 magnesium alloy under multistage hot deformation

Abstract

In the present study flow softening behaviour of AZ31 magnesium alloy was investigated by double hit compression tests in the temperature range 250–400°C and strain rate range 10^–3–10^–1 s^–1. The tests were conducted with delay times varying 4–250 s after achieving the critical strain ?_c in each deformation condition. It has been found that static restoration processes (recovery and recrystallisation) were intensely depended on strain rate and deformation temperature. Fractional softening values increased with increasing strain rate and deformation temperature. Accordingly the softening curves were divided into three regions. The softening in the short interpass times was attributed to the occurrence of static recovery and followed by static recrystallisation and grain growth as dominant softening mechanisms for the second and third regions respectively. In addition static recrystallisation kinetics was interpreted by Avrami equation. Analysis of the results indicated that Avrami constant was changed by varying temperature.     

Superplastic behaviour of commercial duplex stainless steel SAF 2304

Abstract

The superplasticity of duplex stainless steel SAF 2304 was investigated at temperatures from 900 to 1050°C and strain rates from 10^-4 to 10^-2 s^-1 using uniaxial tensile tests. Within the range of temperatures and strain rates at which superplasticity occurred, the flow stress was under 20 MPa, and the instantaneous strain rate sensitivity was between 0·45 and 0·75. The microstructural evolution was investigated using optical, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopes. During superplastic deformation, the initially banded two phase structure progressively broke up and evolved into a homogeneously distributed structure. Also, the strain rate sensitivity index initially rose with strain. Two possible models were considered for this behaviour, one based on slip, and the other a more conventional grain boundary sliding/grain switching model.     

Prediction of dynamic recrystallisation behaviour of AISI type 4140 medium carbon steel

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to establish quantitative relationships between the flow stress and the volume fraction of dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) as a function of processing variables such as strain rate, temperature, and strain for AISI type 4140 medium carbon steel, by means of torsion tests. Torsion tests were carried out in the temperature range 900-1100°C and the strain rate range 5·0 × 10­2 -5·0 × 10⁰ s^­1 to study the high temperature softening behaviour. For the exact prediction of flow stress, the effective stress—effective strain curves were divided into two regions, the work hardening and dynamic recovery region and the DRX region. The flow stress of the DRX region could be expressed in terms of the volume fraction of DRX. It was found that the calculated results were in agreement with the experimental flow stress and microstructure of the steel for any deformation condition.     

Effect of strain on cavity development during Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy superplastic flow

Cavitation behaviour has been investigated in an Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloy with an average grain size of 10?µm during superplastic deformation. The superplastic tensile tests were interrupted at different true strains at 530°C and 3?×?10^?4?s^?1. The results showed that cavity nucleation occurred above a critical strain in the optimum loading condition. It was easy for cavities to form at the triple junction due to the stress concentration caused by cooperative grain boundary sliding. Since the tensile stress was higher in the middle of the sample, the cavities were arranged in a straight line parallel to the tensile axis in the centre of the sample. A more appropriate cavity growth equation considering the critical strain was proposed to describe the cavitation behaviour.     

Hot deformation behaviour and microstructure of a high-alloy gear steel

High strain isothermal compression tests at temperatures of 700–1200°C and strain rates of 0.1–50?s^?1 were performed in a Gleeble-3800 thermal simulator to investigate the hot deformation behaviour of a high-alloy Cr–Co–Mo–Ni gear steel, and the constitution equation and hot processing map were established based on these experiments. The results show that the flow stress can be described by the constitutive equation in hyperbolic sine function, and the optimum hot working regions are at the temperature of 1000–1100°C and strain rate of 0.3–1.0?s^?1. Optical microscopy observations of austenite grains indicate that dynamic recrystallisation occurs when the deformation temperature is over 900°C. The forging was successfully produced on the basis of the above-described researches.     

Tensile behaviour of 316LN stainless steel at elevated temperatures

Abstract

The tensile deformation behaviour of 316LN stainless steel was investigated from ambient temperature up to 1000°C. The hardness and microstructure of area near tensile fracture were characterised. The results show that the engineering stress increases smoothly with engineering strain when the tensile temperature is at 400°C or below, while the plastic deformation stage displays a serrated/jerky flow at 600°C. At tensile temperatures of 800°C or above, the plastic deformation stage is dramatically prolonged. The deformation mechanisms of 316LN stainless steel are proposed to be sliding and twinning at 400°C or below, tangle dislocations due to cross-slipping at 600°C, dynamic recovery at 700°C, and dynamic recrystallisation at 800°C or above. The finding provides useful guidelines for the processing and service of 316LN stainless steel components at high temperatures.     

Hot deformation behaviour and constitutive modelling of P92 heat resistant steel

Abstract

Hot compression tests are conducted in the present paper to investigate hot deformation behaviour of the newly developed heat resistant steel P92, which is used to fabricate main steam pipes for ultra supercritical power plants. Stress–strain curves at elevated temperatures and different strain rates are obtained. It is found that dynamic recrystallisation happens only when the temperature is above 1100°C and strain rate is below 0·1 s^?1. Otherwise, dynamic recovery is the main softening mechanism. Constitutive modelling with the hyperbolic sine, including an Arrhenius term, is used to predict peak and saturated stresses. Material constants for this model are determined. Results show that the model can be used to predict peak and saturated stresses. However, the model would fail in predicting flow stress with respect to strain; thus, a model containing nine independent parameters and the complete form of Spittel equation are utilised to predict flow stress curves softened by dynamic recrystallisation and dynamic recovery respectively since there are no unified equations. The predicted stress–strain curves are in good agreement with experimental results, which confirmed that the models developed in the present paper are effective and accurate for P92 steel.     

Superplasticity of Fe3Al(Cr)

Abstract

The superplasticity of an Fe₃Al based intermetallic alloy with 3 at.-% chromium has been investigated in the strain rate range 10^-5-10^-2 s^-1 at test temperatures between 700 and 900°C. The composition of the iron aluminide was Fe–28Al–3Cr (at.-%) with additions of titanium and carbon. After thermomechanical processing the material possessed a coarse grained microstructure with an average grain size of 55 ± 10 μm. Strain rate exponents of 0·33≤m≤0.42 were recorded at strain rates of approximately 10^-5-10^-3 s^-1 in the temperature range 750-900°C. Superplastic elongations of 350% and more were achieved. From thermal activation analysis of superplastic flow, an activation energy of 185 ± 10 kJ mol^-1 was derived. This value is comparable to activation energies of superplastic flow in Fe₃Al(Ti) alloys. However, in unalloyed Fe₃Al the activation energy is higher, ~ 263 kJ mol^-1. Optical microscopy showed grain refinement to ~ 30 ± 5 μm in size in superplastically strained tensile specimens. Transmission electron microscopy gave evidence of the formation of subgrains of 0·3–0·5 μm in size. Superplasticity in this iron aluminide is mainly attributed to viscous dislocation glide, controlled by solute drag in the transformed B2 lattice at the deformation temperatures. During superplastic deformation, subgrain formation and grain refinement in the gauge length were revealed. From this it is concluded that dynamic recrystallisation makes an important contribution to the deformation mechanism of superplastic flow in this material.     

Hot tensile deformation and fracture behaviours of Hastelloy C-276 alloy

ABSTRACT

The uniaxial tensile tests of Hastelloy C-276 were performed under elevated temperature and strain rate. Considering the effects of different deformation parameters, the flow behaviour, microstructure and fracture characteristics were analysed based on the experimental data. From the rheological curves, the typical characteristics of dynamic recrystallisation were observed at a relatively high deformation temperature and low strain rate. Optical microstructures show that the degree of dynamic recrystallisation increases with an increase in temperature. The SEM micrographs show that the amount of precipitates increases with an increase in deformation temperature. Examination of the fracture morphology at high magnifications revealed that the coalescence of microscopic voids is responsible for the fracture failure.     

Assessment and modelling of isothermal forging of intermetallic compounds Part 1 – TiAl

Abstract

In this, the first of four papers concerned with the isothermal forging of intermetallic compounds, Ti–48Al–2Mn–2Nb (at.-%), an alloy based on the γ-TiAl intermetallic phase, has been deformed over the temperature and strain rate ranges 1050–1125°C and 3·0 × 10^-4–3·0 × 10^-2 s^-1 respectively. Examination of the stress–strain curves shows an increase in flow softening behaviour with increasing temperature and decreasing strain rate, contrary to what might have been expected. Forged microstructures indicate that grain refinement via dynamic recrystallisation has occurred, resulting in a fine, almost fully γ microstructure. Constitutive data calculated from initial stress–strain curves (for example activation energy of deformation and strain rate sensitivity) have been used to model deformation behaviour with a reasonable degree of success.     

Effect of multipeak dynamic recrystallisation on structure of deformed and annealed copper

Abstract

Compression tests were carried out on fine grained copper at 870 K and at a constant true strain rate of 1·4×10^?3 s^?1. Under these conditions, well defined flow stress oscillations followed by steady state flow stress are obtained. Grain size measurements of as deformed material revealed non-monotonic grain coarsening when stress oscillations appear. It was found that grain coarsening is most effective when the flow stress decreases after the first flow stress peak. Periodic flow stress is accompanied by periodic grain coarsening until the latter becomes practically independent of strain when the steady state flow stress region is attained. The structural effects of static processes (recovery and recrystallisation) in dynamically recrystallised material were examined closely. According to the model of periodic dynamic recrystallisation, one would expect periodic changes of the driving force for static restoration processes (mainly metadynamic and/or static recrystallisation). From the present work, conclusions are drawn that are contrary to this concept of structural softening. The critical strain leading to grain coarsening during post-deformation annealing of hot deformed copper was found to be significantly less than the strain corresponding to the first flow stress peak. For higher strains, the grain size of dynamically recrystallised copper was found to be highly stable during annealing for 7 h at 870 K.

MST/978     

Characterisation of dynamic recrystallisation in nickel using processing map for hot deformation

Abstract

The hot deformation behaviour of polycrystalline nickel has been characterised in the temperature range 750–1200°C and strain rate range 0·0003–100 s^?1 using processing maps developed on the basis of the dynamic materials model. The efficiency of power dissipation, given by [2m/(m+1)], where m is the strain rate sensitivity, is plotted as a function of temperature and strain rate to obtain a processing map. A domain of dynamic recrystallisation has been identified, with a peak efficiency of 31% occurring at 925°C and 1 s^?1. The published results are in agreement with the predictions of the processing map. The variations of efficiency of power dissipation with temperature and strain rate in the dynamic recrystallisation domain are identical to the corresponding variations of hot ductility. The stress–strain curves exhibited a single peak in the dynamic recrystallisation domain, whereas multiple peaks and ‘drooping’ stress–strain curves were observed at lower and higher strain rates, respectively. The results are explained on the basis of a simple model which considers dynamic recrystallisation in terms of rates of interface formation (nucleation) and migration (growth). It is shown that dynamic recrystallisation in nickel is controlled by the rate of nucleation, which is slower than the rate of migration. The rate of nucleation itself depends on the process of thermal recovery by climb, which in turn depends on self-diffusion.

MST/1524     

The influence of dynamic strain aging on resistance to strain reversal as assessed through the Bauschinger effect

The Bauschinger effect of three commercially produced medium carbon bar steels representing different microstructural classes with similar tensile strengths and substantially different yielding and work-hardening behaviors at low-strain was evaluated at room temperature and in situ at temperatures up to 361 °C. The influence of deformation at dynamic strain aging temperatures as a means to produce a more stable dislocation structure was evaluated by measuring the resistance to strain reversal during in situ Bauschinger effect tests. It was shown that the three medium carbon steels exhibited substantial increases in strength at dynamic strain aging temperatures with the peak in flow stress occurring at a test temperature of 260 °C for an engineering strain rate of 10⁻⁴ s⁻¹. Compressive flow stress data following tensile plastic prestrain levels of 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 increased with an increase in temperature to a range between 260 °C and 309 °C, the temperature range where dynamic strain aging was shown to be most effective. The increased resistance to flow on strain reversal at elevated temperature was attributed to the generation of more stable dislocation structures during prestrain. It is suggested that Bauschinger effect measurements can be used to assess the potential performance of materials in fatigue loading conditions and to identify temperature ranges for processing in applications that utilize non-uniform plastic deformation (e.g. shot peening, deep rolling, etc.) to induce controlled residual stress fields stabilized by the processing at temperatures where dynamic strain aging is active.     

High temperature deformation of nickel base superalloy Udimet 520

Abstract

The high temperature deformation behaviour of nickel base superalloy Udimet 520 was characterised using hot compression isothermal tests. Hot compression tests were conducted between 900 and 1150°C with strain rates of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 1 s^-1. Testing at ≤ 950°C led to sample fracture for all the applied strain rates. The flow behaviour at 1000, 1050 and 1075°C indicated the occurrence of dynamic recovery. For specimens tested at 1100, 1125 and 1150°C, recrystallisation is the softening mechanism. The strain rate sensitivity factor m was estimated for various thermomechanical histories. The activation energy for the hot deformation was determined to be 780 kJ mol¹. The Zener–Hollomon parameter was also determined and its variation with grain size was studied with deformation conditions. The microstructures of all samples were examined by both optical and scanning electron microscopy. The presence and variations in the morphology and size distribution of deformed and recrystallised grains were determined and related to the deformation conditions.     

Influence of strain rate on production of deformation induced ferrite and hot ductility of steels

Abstract

Compression testing was used to explore the influence of strain rate on the formation of deformation induced ferrite. Samples of a 0·4%C–1·4%Mn plain C–Mn steel were heated to 1225°C, cooled to test temperatures in the range 1100–610°C, and then given a true strain of 0·6, at strain rates of3 × 10^?2, 3 × 10^?3, and 3 × 10^?4 S^?1. At the lowest strain rate it wasfound that the strain to peak stress decreased with decreasing temperature in the range 750–610°C. This behaviour is related to the formation of thin films of the softer deformation induced ferrite at the γ grain boundaries at the higher temperatures, and spheroidisation at the lower temperatures. More normal stress–strain curves were observed at the higher strain rates, as raising the strain rate prevents the formation of deformation induced ferrite and delays spheroidisation. The strain rate was also found to have an important influence on the extent of recovery in the deformation induced ferrite; the lowest strain rate enabling full recovery and or recrystallisation to occur, thus keeping the film soft. This behaviour is shown to account for the poor hot tensile ductility at the lowest strain rates. Raising the strain rate in this temperature range improves the ductility because work hardening takes place, raising the strength of the ferrite closer to that of the y, thus preventing strain concentration from occurring.

MST/1934     

High temperature,high strain forging behaviour of binary Al–2Li alloy

Abstract

This investigation has demonstrated the utility of coupled computer simulation and constant strain rate, isothermal compression of double cone wedge tests within the dynamic recrystallisation regime, for predicting the influence of strain, strain rate and temperature on the high temperature, high strain forging behaviour of an annealed binary Al–2 wt-%Li alloy. Initially, experimentally determined true stress–true strain compression data were used to simulate isothermal forging of double cone compression specimens. At intermediate temperatures (673–773 K) and strain rates (0.01–0.001 s^-1), simulations predicted large gradients in strain across the specimen, the microstructural features in this case corresponding to both dynamic recovery and dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) within the specimen. At higher temperatures (773–823 K) and lower strain rates (0.0005–0.001 s^-1), simulations predicted a uniform strain distribution over the cross-section of the specimen, the microstructural observations correlating to DRX at lower strains and dynamic grain growth at high strain levels. Two models, one statistical, and the other phenomenological, were utilised to predict the grain size variation in the specimen as a function of strain. Both models showed excellent correlation with the experimentally measured grain size data.     

New parameter Y for static recrystallisation in hot deformed austenite

Abstract

The influence of hot deformation conditions on static and dynamic recrystallisation behaviour of 18%Ni maraging steel was studied. Using the Zener–Hollomon parameter in the dynamic recrystallisation diagram for reference, a new parameter Y (=tZ^mexp(?Q_rec/RT)) is recommended and a static recrystallisation diagram proposed. The occurrence of static recrystallisation of hot deformed austenite in 18%Ni maraging steel was determined as a function of the parameter Y (the holding time modified by temperature and strain rate). The structural changes after deformation in hot deformed austenite may be described by the static recrystallisation diagram (Y–? diagram). The procedure for constructing the static recrystallisation diagram may be simplified by introducing the parameter Y.

MST/699