Prediction of the critical conditions for initiation of dynamic recrystallization

Both the critical stress and strain for initiation of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) were determined using: (1) the strain hardening rate versus stress curve, (2) the natural logarithm of strain hardening rate versus strain curve, and (3) the constitutive equations. In order to perform these analyses, the behavior of a 17-4 PH stainless steel during hot compression test was investigated at temperatures of 950–1150 °C and strain rates of 0.001–10 s⁻¹. The first and second methods were found to be the best ones for determining the critical stress and strain, respectively. The Cingara constitutive equation was also used to model the flow curves up to the peak point and subsequently was used for predicting the critical strain. In summary, for 17-4 PH stainless steel, the DRX was found to start when the normalized stress and strain reach to the values of 0.89 and 0.47, respectively.     

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.     

Investigation on hot deformation of 20Cr–25Ni superaustenitic stainless steel with starting columnar dendritic microstructure based on kinetic analysis and processing map

Abstract

The deformation behaviour of a 20Cr–25Ni superaustenitic stainless steel (SASS) with initial microstructure of columnar dendrites was investigated using the hot compression method at temperatures of 1000–1200°C and strain rates of 0·01–10 s^?1. It was found that the flow stress was strongly dependent on the applied temperature and strain rate. The constitutive equation relating to the flow stress, temperature and stain rate was proposed for hot deformation of this material, and the apparent activation energy of deformation was calculated to be 516·7 kJ mol^?1. Based on the dynamic materials model and the Murty’s instability criterion, the variations of dissipation efficiency and instability factor with processing parameters were studied. The processing map, combined with the instability map and the dissipation map, was constructed to demonstrate the relationship between hot workability and microstructural evolution. The stability region for hot processing was inferred accurately from the map. The optimum hot working domains were identified in the respective ranges of the temperature and the strain rate of 1025–1120°C and 0·01–0·03 s^?1 or 1140–1200°C and 0·08–1 s^?1, where the material produced many more equiaxed recrystallised grains. Moreover, instability regimes that should be avoided in the actual working were also identified by the processing map. The corresponding instability was associated with localised flow, adiabatic shear band, microcracking and free surface cracks.     

Study on hot deformation behaviour of 316LN austenitic stainless steel based on hot processing map

Abstract

316LN is a type of austenitic stainless steel whose grain refinement only depends on hot deformation. The true stress–strain curves of 316LN were obtained by means of hot compression experiments conducted at a temperature range of 900–1200°C and at a strain rate range of 0·001–10 s^?1. The influence of deformation parameters on the microstructure of 316LN was analysed. Both the constitutive equation for 316LN and the model of grain size after dynamic recrystallisation were established, and the effect of different deformation conditions on the microstructure was analysed. The results show that the suitable working region is the one with a relatively higher deformation temperature and a lower strain rate, in which the dynamic recrystallisation is finely conducted. Moreover, the working region that should be avoided during hot deformation was indicated.     

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     

Effect of nitrogen content on dynamic strain ageing behaviour of type 316LN austenitic stainless steel during tensile deformation

Abstract

The effect of nitrogen content on the dynamic strain ageing (DSA) behaviour of type 316LN austenitic stainless steel has been studied. The nitrogen content was varied from 0·07 to 0·22 wt-%. The tensile tests were carried out over a temperature range of 300–1123 K and at three strain rates in the range 3×10^?3–3×10^?5 s^?1. Serration was observed in the load elongation curves in the intermediate test temperature range and has been considered due to DSA phenomenon. The critical strain to onset of serrated flow increased with increase in nitrogen content and strain rate. The temperature for onset of DSA and the temperature of disappearance of DSA were found to increase with the increase in nitrogen content. The variations in tensile strength and work hardening rate of the steel with temperature exhibit peak values in the intermediate temperature range and have been attributed due to DSA phenomenon. The activation energy for DSA, estimated based on the temperature and strain rate dependences of the strain to onset of serrated flow, was found to increase from 111 to 218 kJ mol^?1 with the increase in nitrogen content from 0·07 to 0·22 wt-% and the increase has been attributed to the possible enhanced interaction of the DSA causing interstitial nitrogen with substitutional chromium.     

Processing map for hot working of Ni–16Cr–8Fe alloy (IN 600)

Abstract

The hot deformation characteristics of IN 600 nickel alloy are studied using hot compression testing in the temperature range 850–1200°C and strain rate range 0·001–100 s^?l. A processing map for hot working is developed on the basis of the data obtained, using the principles of dynamic materials modelling. The map exhibits a single domain with a peak efficiency of power dissipation of 48% occurring at 1200°C and 0·2 s^?1, at which the material undergoes dynamic recrystallisation (DRX). These are the optimum conditions for hot working of IN 600. At strain rates higher than 1 s^?1, the material exhibits flow localisation and its microstructure consists of localised bands of fine recrystallised grains. The presence of iron in the Ni–Cr alloy narrows the DRX domain owing to a higher temperature required for carbide dissolution, which is essential for the occurrence of DRX. The efficiency of DRX in Ni–Cr is, however, enhanced by iron addition.

MST/1856     

Dynamic recrystallisation of D2 and W1 tool steels

Abstract

Hot torsion continuous tests were performed on a high carbon, high chromium cold work die steel (D2) and a water hardenable carbon tool steel (W1) at strain rates of 0·1, 1, and 4 s^-1 in the temperature ranges of 900 to 1150°C for D2 and 900 to 1200°C for W1. The stress–strain (σ–?) curves rose to a peak stress σ _p , then declined to a steady state value σ _ss , typical of dynamic recrystallisation (DRX). The commencement and effective completion (99%) of DRX are obtained from θ–σ and σ–? curves respectively where θ is the strain hardening rate dσ/d?. The kinetics of DRX are assumed to follow an Avrami equation whereas the time t _ss for 99% DRX is related to σ _ss and temperature by a sinh function. The equilibrium recrystallised grain size D _s decreases with increase in σ _ss and Z, the Zener–Hollomon temperature compensated strain rate. Due to the presence of carbides, which stimulate nucleation, D2 generally has faster DRX kinetics than W1.     

Effects of prestrain and strain rate on dynamic deformation characteristics of 304L stainless steel: Part 1—Mechanical behaviour

Abstract

A split Hopkinson bar is used to investigate the effects of prestrain and strain rate on the dynamic mechanical behaviour of 304L stainless steel, and these results are correlated with microstructure and fracture characteristics. Annealed 304L stainless steel is prestrained to strains of 0·15, 0·3, and 0·5, then machined as cylindrical compression specimens. Dynamic mechanical tests are performed at strain rates ranging from 10² to 5 × 10³ s^-1 at room temperature, with true stains varying from 0·1 to 0·3. It was found that 304L stainless steel is sensitive to applied prestrain and strain rate, with flow stress increasing with increasing prestrain and strain rate. Work hardening rate, strain rate sensitivity, and activation volume depend strongly on the variation of prestrain, strain, and strain rate. At larger prestrain and higher strain rate, work hardening rate decreases rapidly owing to greater heat deformation enhancement of plastic flow instability at dynamic loading. Strain rate sensitivity increases with increasing prestrain and work hardening stress (σ-σ_y). However, activation volume exhibits the reverse tendency. Catastrophic fracture is found only for 0·5 prestrain, 0·3 strain, and strain rate of 4·8 × 10³ s^-1. Large prestrain increases the resistance to plastic flow but decreases fracture elongation. Optical microscopy and SEM fracture feature observations reveal adiabatic shear band formation is the dominant fracture mechanism. Adiabatic shear band void and crack formation is along the direction of maximum shear stress and induces specimen fracture.     

The rate of dynamic recrystallization in 17-4 PH stainless steel

The hot working behavior of 17-4 PH stainless steel (AISI 630) was studied by hot compression test at temperatures of 950–1150 °C with strain rates of 0.001–10 s⁻¹. The progress of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) was modeled by the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov (JMAK) kinetics equation. The flow softening was directly related to the DRX volume fraction and the DRX time was determined by strain rate. For quantification of recrystallization rate, the reciprocal of the time corresponding to the DRX fraction of 0.5% or 50% was used. Analysis of the sigmoid-shaped recrystallization curves revealed that the rate of DRX increases with increasing deformation temperature and strain rate. The Zener-Hollomon parameter (Z) was found to be inappropriate for analysis of DRX kinetics. Therefore, the dynamic recrystallization rate parameter (DRXRP) was introduced for this purpose. The DRXRP may be determined readily from the Avrami analysis and can precisely predict the rate of DRX at hot working conditions.     

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.     

Flow curves up to peak strength of hot deformed D2 and W1 tool steels

Abstract

A high carbon, high chromium cold work die steel (D2) and a water hardenable carbon tool steel (W1) were hot deformed in torsion between 900 and 1150°C for the alloy steel and 900 and 1200°C for the carbon steel, at strain rates from 0·1 to 4 s^-1. The slope of the stress–strain curves, which represents strain hardening, decreased linearly then changed gradually to a slower linear decline before decreasing quickly to zero at the peak stress. On further strain, stress decreased to a steady state regime, indicative of dynamic recrystallisation. Kocks–Mecking analysis provided an activation enthalpy with an average comparable to the activation energy derived from a sinh modified Arrhenius analysis of peak stress. The alloy carbides of the D2 steel have the effect of raising its strength to over twice that of the carbon steel, accelerating the onset of dynamic recrystallisation but drastically lowering its ductility.     

Superplasticity in Al–33Cu eutectic alloy in as extruded condition

Abstract

Experiments were carried out to determine the superplastic properties of the Al–33Cu eutectic alloy in an as extruded condition. It is shown that the stress–strain curves do not attain a steady state condition and, except at high strain rates greater than ~10^?2 s^?1, the curves show strain hardening due to concurrent grain growth. There is a sigmoidal relationship between stress and strain rate, with a maximum strain rate sensitivity of ~ 0·5 at intermediate strain rates in region 2 and a decrease in the strain rate sensitivity to ~ 0·3 at low strain rates in region 1. The maximum elongation to failure in these experiments is ~1400% at an initial strain rate of 6·7 × 10^?5 s^?1 and there is a decrease in the elongations to failure at both lower and higher strain rates. From detailed experimental measurements of grain growth, it is demonstrated by calculation that there is a genuine region 1 at low strain rates in this alloy in the as extruded condition.

MST/911     

Hot working and crystallographic texture analysis of magnesium AZ alloys

Abstract

The hot working behaviour of magnesium AZ (e.g. AZ31; Al: 3%, Zn: 1%) alloys and their associated crystallographic texture evolution is reviewed. Under hot working conditions, the stress–strain curves show flow softening at all the temperatures and strain rates indicating dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) is predominant. The mean size of the recrystallised grains in all the alloys decreases as the value of Zener–Hollomon parameter Z increases. The hot working range of the alloys dwell between 200 and 500°C and the strain rates between 10^?3 and 5 s^?1. The hot working of AZ series alloy shows discontinuous DRX as the main mechanism. Equal channel angular processing shows continuous DRX. The constitutive equation development shows a linear relationship between the stress and the Z parameter. The activation energy for the alloys ranges from 112 to 169 kJ mol^?1 and Z values range from 10 to 10 s^?1. Textural examinations show basal texture as the predominant orientation.     

Finite element analysis and experimental study of microstructure evolution of nitrogen alloyed ultralow carbon stainless steel during hot deformation

Abstract

Hot compression experiments of a nitrogen alloyed ultralow carbon stainless steel were performed in the temperature range of 1223–1423 K, at strain rates of 0.001–1 s^?1, and with deformation amounts of 30–70% on a Gleeble-3500 thermal-simulator. Based on the results from thermo-physical simulation experiments and metallographic analyses, a physically-based constitutive model and a dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) model of the studied steel were derived, and the developed models were further embedded into a finite element method (FEM) software. The microstructure evolution of the studied steel under various hot deformation conditions was simulated by FEM, and the effects of deformation amount, strain rate and temperature on the microstructure evolution were clarified. The results obtained from the finite element analysis were verified by the experiments. The finding confirms that the thermal-mechanical FEM coupled with the developed constitutive model and DRX model can be used to accurately predict the microstructure evolution of the studied steel during hot deformation.     

Effect of nitrogen on tensile flow behaviour of type 316 LN austenitic stainless steel

Abstract

The influence of nitrogen content on the tensile flow behaviour of type 316 LN austenitic stainless steel has been studied. Nitrogen content in the steel has been varied in the range 0·07 to 0·22 wt-%. Tensile tests were carried out over the temperature range of 300–1123 K at a nominal strain rate of 3×10^?3 s^?1. The tensile flow behaviour of the steels has been analysed based on the constitutive equation proposed by Voce. The Voce’s parameters of initial stress (σ_i) and saturation stress (σ_s) were found to increase linearly with increase in nitrogen content at all the test temperatures. Tensile properties of the steels were predicted from Voce constitutive equation parameters.     

Dynamic Recrystallization of a Cr-Ni-Mo-Cu-Ti-V Precipitation Hardenable Stainless Steel

In this research, the dynamic recrystallization （DRX） behavior of an as-cast precipitation hardenable （PH） stainless steel was investigated by conducting hot compression tests at temperatures between 950-1150℃ and under strain rates of 0.001-1 s^-1. The flow stress curves show that the DRX is responsible for flow softening during hot compression. The effects of temperature and strain rate on the strain and stress corresponding to peak point （εp and σp） of flow curve were analyzed individually. It is realized that, they increase with strain rate and decrease with temperature. The relationship between Zener-Hollomon parameter （Z） and εp was investigated and the equation of εp=4.3×10^-4^0.14 was proposed. The strain for the maximum rate of DRX （εmax） was determined under different deformation conditions. Therefore, it is realized that it increases with Z parameter and vise versa. On the basis of obtained results, the equation of εmax=9.5 × 10^-4Z0.12 was proposed.     

Research on the dynamic recrystallization behavior of GCr15 steel

The dynamical recrystallization (DRX) of GCr15 steel was investigated at deformation temperatures of 950–1150 °C and strain rates of 0.1–10 s^?1 on a Gleeble-3800 thermo-mechanical simulator. The stress–strain curves at lower strain rates are typical of the occurrence of DRX and exhibit a peak in the flow stress before reaching steady state. The flow stress at higher strain rates increases rapidly to the maximum too, but followed by a steady region. The microstructures after deformation certify that DRX takes place in all specimens. And the results show that DRX occurs more easily with the decrease of strain rate and the increase of deformation temperature. Using regression analysis, the DRX activation energy of the steel, the relationship of critical strain and deformation conditions were determined. In order to determine the recrystallized fraction under different conditions, an approximate model based on the stress–strain curves was investigated, and the kinetic model for DRX was established.     

Quantitative Analysis of Work Hardening and Dynamic Softening Behavior of low carbon alloy Steel Based on the Flow Stress

In this study, the constitutive equation and DRX(Dynamic recrystallization) model of Nuclear Pressure Vessel Material 20MnNiMo steel were established to study the work hardening and dynamic softening behavior based on the flow behavior, which was investigated by hot compression experiment at temperature of 950 °C, 1050 °C, 1150 °C and 1250 °C with strain rate of 0.01 s⁻¹, 0.1 s⁻¹ and 10 s⁻¹ on a thermo-mechanical simulator THE RMECMASTOR-Z. The critical conditions for the occurence of dynamic recrystallization were determined based on the strain hardening rate curves of 20MnNiMo steel. Then the model of volume fraction of DRX was established to analyze the DRX behavior based on flow curves. At last, the strain rate sensitivity and activation volume V^* of 20MnNiMo steel were calculated to discuss the mechanisms of work hardening and dynamic softening during the hot forming process. The results show that the volume fraction of DRX is lower with the higher value of Z (Zener–Hollomon parameter), which indicated that the DRX fraction curves can accurately predicte the DRX behavior of 20MnNiMo steel. The storage and annihilation of dislocation at off-equilibrium saturation situation is the main reason that the strain has significant effects on SRS(Strain rate sensitivity) at the low strain rate of 0.01 s⁻¹ and 0.1 s⁻¹. While, the effects of temperature on the SRS are caused by the uniformity of microstructure distribution. And the cross-slip caused by dislocation piled up which beyond the grain boundaries or obstacles is related to the low activation volume under the high Z deformation conditions. Otherwise, the coarsening of DRX grains is the main reason for the high activation volume at low Z under the same strain conditions.     

Superplastic behaviour of as received superplastic forming grade IN718 superalloy

Abstract

Tensile specimens of superplastic forming grade IN718 superalloy, containing banded microstructure in the as received state, were deformed at high temperatures T to investigate the stress σ versus strain rate ? · behaviour, the nature of the stress versus strain ? curves, ductility, and microstructure upon failure. The log σ–log ? · plot for the ? · range ～5 × 10^-6–3 × 10^-2 s^-1 at T = 1173–1248 K exhibited a strain rate sensitivity index m = 0·62 at low strain rates and m = 0·26 at high strain rates, representing region II and III behaviour, respectively. The activation energies were estimated to be 308 and 353 kJ mol^-1, respectively. All the σ–? curves, obtained at ? · = 1 × 10^-4 s^-1 for the temperature range 1173–1273 K, and at T = 1198 K for the strain rate range 1 × 10^-4–1 × 10^-2 s^-1, exhibited initial flow hardening, followed by flow softening. The microstructures revealed dynamic recrystallisation, grain growth, cavitation, and a variation in the amount of second phase particles. Grain growth and cavitation were found to increase with temperature in region II. Excessive grain growth at 1273 K led to the elimination of region II. Grain growth and cavitation were both found to be less pronounced as the strain rate increased in region III.