Effect of precipitation on hot ductility of niobium and aluminium microalloyed steels

Abstract

The precipitation reactions occurring in C–Mn–Al and C–Mn–Nb steels before and after hot deformation have been examined and their influence upon hot ductility is discussed. Precipitation has been studied at 850°C, when ductility is poor, and also at 1100°C, when the ductility is good. Rapid intergranular precipitation occurred at 1100°C, but the precipitation present before deformation did not prove to be detrimental to ductility and grain boundary mobility at this temperature. Although only a limited amount of precipitation occurred at 850°C before deformation, intergranular precipitation continued during deformation resulting in embrittlement of the steels. At this temperature, strain induced transgranular precipitation of Nb(CN) occurred in the C–Mn–Nb steel and this is thought to be a major cause of poor hot ductility in this steel. By holding the steels for 15 min at 800–850°C before reheating to 1100°C, the area fraction of intergranular precipitation at 1100°C was increased. This produced a decrease in ductility at this temperature in the C–Mn–Al steel but had a less marked effect in the C–Mn–Nb steel.

MST/107     

Static recrystallisation kinetics of commercial aluminium: influence of hot deformation mode

Abstract

The kinetics of static recrystallisation and the recrystallised grain size of a commercial aluminium alloy have been determined after both hot torsion and axisymmetric compression within the steady state regime. Annealing of the specimens, quenched after hot deformation in both modes at 325 and 360°C, was carried out at 410°C. The presence of dynamically formed grains developed during deformation, which can act as pre-existing nuclei, exerts an influence on the subsequent static recrystallisation behaviour of the alloy. The increase in number of these dynamically formed grains with strain explains the significant effect of strain in the steady state. However, some differences result from the different modes of deformation. Hot axisymmetric compression leads to an important decrease of both the time to reach a recrystallised fraction of 50% and the recrystallised grain size in comparison with hot torsion. The different deformation modes, through their effect on the spatial distribution of particles, seem to affect the proportion of dynamically formed grains which become effective nuclei and therefore the recrystallisation kinetics. In addition, particle drag effects can influence greatly the static recrystallisation kinetics.

MST/1810     

Recrystallisation after hot deformation of two phase stainless steels

Abstract

A series of model stainless steels containing 0, 30, 50, 70 and 100% volume fraction of δ was prepared. In these two phase alloys a duplex structure of equiaxed grains of δ and γ with a uniform distribution was established through hot deformation and heat treatments. The static recrystallisation kinetics were followed in all five alloys after hot torsion at a constant strain rate of 0.7 s¹ in the temperature range 1000 - 1150 ° C applying a constant strain of 0.28. Comparison of the static recrystallisation behaviour of the single and two phase alloys has been carried out at 1050 ° C. The results show that both phases recrystallise after hot deformation. However, a significant retardation of recrystallisation in both δ and γ phases has taken place in the two phase alloys in comparison with the single phase alloys, with the delay being larger for the δ phase. The possible causes of the retardation of recrystallisation of δ and γ phases in the two phase alloys are discussed.     

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     

Influence of calcium on hot ductility of steels

Abstract

The hot ductility of C–Mn–Al and C–Mn–Nb–Al steels with and without calcium additions have been examined over the temperature range 700–1000°C both after solution treating at 1330°C followed by cooling to the test temperature and directly after casting. Calcium additions invariably improved hot ductility. For hot rolled plate reheated to 1330°C and cooled to the test temperature, calcium is beneficial to hot ductility because it reduces the amount of sulphur able to redissolve and precipitate in a fine form at the new γ-grain boundaries produced on solution treating. For the C–Mn–Al steels, strain concentration occurred in the thin films of softer ferrite surrounding the γ-grains causing voiding around the sulphide inclusions that link up to cause intergranular failure. The removal of the sulphides by calcium addition therefore accounts for the improvement in hot ductility. Similar behaviour was observed for the C–Mn–Nb–Al steels, but for temperatures above the Ae₃ temperature calcium containing steels continued to give improved hot ductility over calcium free steels and this is believed to be due to the fewer sulphides present at the boundaries allowing an earlier onset of dynamic recrystallisation. For steels subjected to direct casting, interdendritic failure as well as intergranular failure by microvoid coalescence occurs. Calcium additions reduce the total amount of sulphur in the steel so that the volume fraction of sulphides precipitated at the interdendritic and γ-boundaries is low.

MST/962     

Effect of integrated extrusion–equal channel angular pressing temperature on microstructural characteristics of low carbon steel

Abstract

In the present research, a combined forward extrusion–equal channel angular pressing was developed and executed for the deformation of a plain carbon steel. In this method, two different deformation steps, including forward extrusion and equal channel angular pressing, take place successively in a single die. The deformation process was performed at different deformation start temperatures (800, 930 and 1100°C). Three-dimensional finite element simulation was used to predict the strain and temperature variations within the samples during deformation. With microstructural observations and the results of finite element simulation, the main grain refinement mechanisms were studied at different deformation temperatures. The results show that the forward extrusion–equal channel angular pressing is effective in refining the ferrite grains from an initial size of 32 μm to a final size of ～0·9 μm. The main mechanisms of grain refinement were considered to be strain assisted transformation, dynamic strain induced transformation and continuous dynamic recrystallisation, depending on the deformation temperature.     

The effect of thermomechanical process on metallurgical and mechanical properties of 38MnVS6 micro alloyed steel

This study aims to have the proper mechanical properties without applying any heat treatment process after hot forging by using 38MnVS6 micro alloyed steel in tow hook manufacturing which is used in automobiles. The effect of forging temperature and cooling rate on metallurgical and mechanical properties of micro alloyed steel is investigated. The samples of micro alloyed steel are forged at 800 °C, 850 °C, 900 °C, 1050 °C and cooled down at the rates of 0.75 °C/s and 1.5 °C/s. The forging temperature and the cooling rate have a significant effect on toughness by the experimental and numerical studies. The amount of ferrite increases with a decreasing forging temperature, and the toughness is improved by increasing the amount of ferrite. Also, by increasing the cooling rate after forging at 1050 °C, the acicular ferrite is observed which has a positive effect on both the toughness and strength of the micro alloyed steel.     

Texture homogeneity and stability in severely warm-rolled and annealed ultrafine pearlite

The evolution of microstructure and texture was investigated in a severely warm-rolled ultrafine pearlitic steel. The steel was 95% warm-rolled at 600°C and annealed at 700°C for different time intervals. The spheroidisation of cementite initiated after 30% reduction and completed beyond 70% reduction. The 95% warm-rolled steel showed elongated as well as ultrafine equiaxed ferrite grains. Texture inhomogeneities were evidenced by the presence of Goss component ({011} <100>) on the surface originating due to surface shear and diffuse texture at the interior. Formation of equiaxed microstructure after annealing through continuous recrystallisation resulted in the retention of the surface Goss component. However, the Goss component was destroyed beyond annealing for 180?minutes due to the abnormal growth of other grains.     

Dynamic recrystallisation during hot working of Zr–2·5Nb: characterisation using processing maps

Abstract

The characteristics of the hot deformation of Zr–2·5Nb (wt-%) in the temperature range 650–950°C and in the strain rate range 0·001–100 s^?1 have been studied using hot compression testing. Two different preform microstructures: equiaxed (α+β) and β transformed, have been investigated. For this study, the approach of processing maps has been adopted and their interpretation carried out using 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 in the maps of equiaxed (α+β) and β transformed preforms. In the case of equiaxed (α+β), the stress–strain curves are steady state and the dynamic recrystallisation domain in the map occurs with a peak efficiency of 45% at 850°C and 0·001 s^?1. On the other hand, the β transformed preform exhibits stress–strain curves with continuous flow softening. The corresponding processing map shows a domain of dynamic recrystallisation occurring by the shearing of α platelets followed by globularisation with a peak efficiency of 54% at 750°C and 0·001 s^?1. The characteristics of dynamic recrystallisation are analysed on the basis of a simple model which considers the rates of nucleation and growth of recrystallised grains. Calculations show that these two rates are nearly equal and that the nucleation of dynamic recrystallisation is essentially controlled by mechanical recovery involving the cross-slip of screw dislocations. Analysis of flow instabilities using a continuum criterion revealed that Zr–2·5Nb exhibits flow localisation at temperatures lower than 700°C and strain rates higher than 1 s^?1.

MST/3103     

Processing of steel for ultrafine ferrite grain structures

Abstract

The attainment of ultrafine ferrite grain structures in low carbon, low alloy steels is of interest because of the improvement in yield strength and Charpy impact transition temperature predicted by extrapolation of known data to very fine grain sizes. This paper presents a summary of research aimed at producing ultrafine ferrite in a niobium microalloyed, low carbon steel by three processing routes. Transformational grain refinement (TGR), in which extrafine austenite is hot rolled and cooled rapidly, has been shown to be capable of producing grain sizes of <1 µm in a surface layer, and 1.5 µm in the centre of 3 mm thick plate. Dynamic recrystallisation of ferrite during multipass warm rolling was shown to be neither complete nor uniform within the cross-section of the plate. Nevertheless, a partly recrystallised, partly recovered grain structure with an average grain size of 1.5 µm was obtained in the centre of 3 mm thick plate. Cold rolling and recrystallisation of ferrite that had been previously refined by TGR to an intermediate grain size was shown to produce an ultrafine grain microstructure (<1 µm grain size) throughout the section of 1 mm thick strip. The hardness of ultrafine ferrite was shown to obey a linear relationship with the inverse square root of grain size, but with a lower slope than expected from the Petch relationship for yield strength.     

Microstructure characterization of nanometer carbides heterogeneous precipitation in Ti–Nb and Ti–Nb–Mo steel

The influences of micro-alloying elements and hot deformation on the precipitation morphology of Ti–Nb and Ti–Nb–Mo steels were investigated. The nanometer sized carbide particles randomly dispersed in the ferrite matrix are attributed mainly to severe deformation at high temperature and low isothermal holding temperature. Of the two steels with different combinations of the micro-alloying elements, Ti–Nb and Ti–Nb–Mo, the steel with Ti–Nb–Mo was more effective in precipitating hardening due to its slower carbide coarsening rate. Based on observations of micrographs, the nano-sized TiMoC and TiNbC precipitated in polygonal ferrite grains when the Ti–Nb–Mo and Ti–Nb steels were isothermally treated at 650 °C for 3 min and 180 min. The smaller of the two carbides, TiMoC, precipitated in the ferrite grain, and the hardness of Ti–Nb–Mo steel was higher than that of Ti–Nb steel. Moreover, the tiny ferrite grains and high dislocation density in the Ti–Nb–Mo steel were found to provide an attractive combination of strength and toughness.     

Effect of process variables on formation of dynamic strain induced ultrafine ferrite during hot torsion testing

Abstract

Ultrafine grain sizes were produced using hot torsion testing of a 0.11C-1.68Mn-0.20Si wt- steel, with ultrafine ferrite <1 m nucleating intragranularly during testing by dynamic strain induced transformation. A systematic study was made of the effect of isothermal deformation temperature, strain level, strain rate, and accelerated cooling during deformation on the formation of ultrafine ferrite by this process. Decreasing the isothermal testing temperature below the Ae3 temperature led to a greater driving force for ferrite nucleation and thus more extensive nucleation during testing; the formation of Widmanstatten ferrite prior to, or early during, deformation imposed a lower temperature limit. Increasing the strain above that where ferrite first began 0.8 at 675C and a strain rate of 3 s1 increased the intragranular nucleation of ferrite. Strain rate appeared to have little effect on the amount of ferrite formed. However, slower strain rates led to extensive polygonisation of the ferrite formed because more time was available for ferrite recovery. Accelerated cooling during deformation followed by air cooling to room temperature led to a uniform microstructure consisting of very fine ferrite grains and fine spherical carbides located in the grain boundaries regions. Air cooling after isothermal testing led to carbide bands and a larger ferrite grain size.     

Influence of V and Ti on hot ductility of Nb containing steels of peritectic C contents

Abstract

The hot ductility of in situ melted tensile specimens of Ti–Nb containing steels having C contents in the peritectic C range 0·12–0·17% with and without V has been examined over the temperature range 700–1000°C. An improved testing regime for simulating the continuous casting process was used, which takes into account both primary and secondary cooling conditions. For the Nb containing steels, the ductility improved in the temperature range 750–850°C as the Ti/N ratio increased. However, ductility at 800°C was still below the 35–40% reduction in area values required to avoid transverse cracking. This was attributed to the copious precipitation of sub 40 nm NbTi(CN) precipitates along the grain boundaries and finer precipitates within the grains. Adding V to the Ti–Nb containing steels resulted in significantly improved ductility with reduction in area values at 800°C in excess of 45%. This improvement was due to a decrease in the fraction of fine particles, and in accord with this better ductility, transverse cracking of industrial slabs was avoided.     

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.     

Evolution of dynamic recrystallisation in AISI 304 stainless steel

Abstract

The nucleation and development of dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) has been studied via hot torsion testing of AISI 304 stainless steel. The DRX behaviour was investigated with microstructural analysis and slope changes of flow stress curves. The characteristics of serrated grain boundaries observed by SEM, electron backscattered diffraction and TEM indicated that the nucleated DRX grain size was similar to that of the bulged part of the original grain boundary. The DRX of the alloy was nucleated and developed by strain induced grain boundary migration and by the necklace mechanism. Before the steady state in the flow curve at 1000 ° C and 0.5 s^-1, the dynamically recrystallised grains did not remain a constant size and gradually grew to the size of fully DRX grains at steady state (30 μm). The calculation of the grain size was based on X _DRX (volume fraction of dynamically recrystallisation) under the assumption that the nucleated DRX grains grow to the steady state continuously. It was found that the calculated grain size of the alloy was good agreement with that of the observed grain size. It is expected that a fine grained steel can be obtained by controlling hot deformation conditions on the basis of newly developed equations for predicting DRX behaviour.     

Microstructural control by secondary processing of strip cast low carbon steel

Abstract

The secondary processing of low carbon steel strip produced by twin roll casting was investigated to examine its effect on microstructural development and mechanical properties. The as cast microstructure is predominantly acicular ferrite with regions of bainitepearlite and polygonal ferrite. Deformation at temperatures below Ar1 produces a heterogeneous microstructure with regions of moderately deformed acicular ferrite adjacent to highly deformed regions containing shear bands. Cold rolled and warm rolled steels show similar behaviour to conventional hot band in that dynamic recovery during warm rolling results in sluggish recrystallisation and produces a coarse final grain size. However, the initial as cast microstructure recrystallises at a slower rate than conventional hot band and produces a weaker recrystallisation texture. This can be attributed to the heterogeneous microstructure of the as cast strip such that, after rolling, nucleation occurs within shear bands and more ill defined sites, which results in nucleation of randomly oriented grains thereby producing a weak final texture. It was found that austenitising the as cast strip followed by rolling in the vicinity of Ar3 produces a uniform distribution of equiaxed, ultrafine ferrite UFF grains throughout the thickness of the strip. The production of UFF by twin roll casting and subsequent rolling represents a simple processing route for the production of fine grained low carbon sheet steel products.     

Differential scanning calorimetry study of constrained groove pressed low carbon steel: recovery,recrystallisation and ferrite to austenite phase transformation

Abstract

Low carbon steel sheets are subjected to severe plastic deformation (SPD) via constrained groove pressing (CGP) up to five passes. As a result of this process, strain magnitude up to 5·8 is imposed to the sheets, which leads to grain size of 225 nm. These nanostructured steel sheets, due to their high dislocation density and ultrafine microstructure, are very sensitive to heating. In the present study, recovery, recrystallisation and ferrite to austenite phase transformation phenomena for the SPD steel are investigated using differential scanning calorimetry method. The results show that with increasing the strain in steel sheets, the deformed stored energy (released through recovery and recrystallisation) and enthalpy of ferrite to austenite phase transformation are significantly increased and varied in 38·5–85·8 and 109–156·1 MJ m^?3 ranges respectively. In addition, transformation temperature is decreased from 761 to 750°C after five CGP passes. However, recovery stored energy, recovery and recrystallisation peak temperatures are not changed, considerably. Experimental data show that with increasing the hardness, the stored energy is increased. One empirical equation is developed for relationship between hardness and stored energy of severely deformed low carbon steel. In addition, using the dislocation model, this mentioned relationship is justified.     

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.     

Influence of deformation induced ferrite,grain boundary sliding,and dynamic recrystallisation on hot ductility of 0·1–0·75%C steels

Abstract

The influence of C on hot ductility in the temperature range 600–1000°C has been examined for three C contents (0·1, 0·4, and 0·75 wt-%). Using a strain rate of 3 × 10^?3 s^?1, tensile specimens were heated to 1330°C before cooling to the test temperature. For the 0·4%C steel, two further strain rates of 3 × 10^?2 and 3 × 10^?4 s^?1 were examined. At the strain rate of 3 × 10^?3 s^?1, increasing the C content shifted the low ductility trough to lower temperatures in accordance with the trough being controlled by the γ–α transformation. Thin films of the softer deformation induced ferrite formed around the γ grain boundaries and allowed strain concentration to occur. Recovery to higher ductility at high temperatures occurred when these films could no longer form (i.e. above Ae₃) and dynamic recrystallisation was possible. The thin films of deformation induced ferrite suppressed dynamic recrystallisation in these coarse grained steels when tested at low strain rates. Recovery of ductility at the low temperature side of the trough in the 0·1%C steel corresponded to the presence of a large volume fraction of ferrite, this being the more ductile phase. For the 0·4%C steel decreasing the strain rate to 3 × 10^?4 s^?1 resulted in a very wide trough – extended to both higher and lower temperatures compared with the other strain rates. The high temperature extension was due to grain boundary sliding in the γ. Recovery of the ductility only occurred when dynamic recrystallisation was possible and this occurred at high temperatures. At the low temperature end, thin films of deformation induced ferrite were present and recovery did not occur until the temperature was sufficiently low to prevent strain concentration from occurring at the boundaries. Of the two intergranular modes of failure grain boundary sliding produced superior ductility. At the higher strain rates there was less grain boundary sliding, which led to a lower temperature for dynamic recrystallisation. Higher strain rates also increased the rate of work hardening of deformation induced ferrite, reducing the strain concentration at the boundaries. Ductility started to recover immediately below Ae₃, resulting in very narrow troughs. Finally, it was shown that the 2% strain that occurs during the straightening operation in continuous casting is sufficient to form deformation induced ferrite in steel containing 0·1%C.

MST/1809     

Effect of austenite deformation on crystallographic texture during transformations in microalloyed bainitic steel

Abstract

The evolution of the texture of ferrite as a function of the coiling temperature has been studied in a hot rolled Nb alloyed CMnMoCrB complex phase steel by means of electron backscatter diffraction. Coiling that steel at 720 ° C led to ferrite and pearlite, and coiling at 550 ° C produced a bainite-martensite microstructure. The presence of residual austenite in the steels coiled at 680 and 550 ° C allowed for texture measurements in γ. Analyses of texture gave fundamental information on the decomposition of γ in both the recrystallised state and the deformed state. It was found that austenite, initially deformed below the non-recrystallisation temperature T_nr, recrystallised statically d partially during the γ α and the γ ^d α _b transformations. In the specimen coiled at 680 ° C, primary ferrite and bainite could be distinguished based on the confidence indexof the diffraction pattern. A clear variant selection was observed for the γ ^d α _b transformation, as arotation of ? ₁ = 30 ° occurred inthe austenite between the ferrite and the bainite formations. The bainite was found to result mainly from the decomposition of the brass {110} 〈 112 〉 and Goss {110} 〈 001 〉 orientations of deformed austenite. The residual austenite was found to be recrystallised γ γ austenite with the cube{001} 〈 100 〉 orientation. Coiling simulations were performed in a dilatometer starting from different austenite grains sizes and deformation states. In the most deformed specimens, the deformation state of the austenite and the combined effects between the different alloying elements presentin the steel were responsible for a solute drag like effect.