Thermal gradients,strain rate,and ductility in sheet steel tensile specimens

The effect on ductility of strain rate and thermal gradients arising from deformation is examined in tensile specimens of 1008 AK steel. The total elongatione _tot is taken as the measure of ductility, since it reflects changes in the strain hardeningn and strain-rate sensitivitym. Tensile specimens are pulled to failure in 23 °C air, at initial strain rates from 10⁻³ to 10⁻¹ s⁻¹, with thermocouples recording temperature along the 50.8 mm gauge section. The maximum temperature is ∼110 °C just prior to failure at the highest rate. Thee _tot, however, remains fairly constant with rate at ∼40 pct. When thermal gradients are prevented by immersing the specimens in circulating water at 23 °C,e _tot, increases with rate to a maximum of ∼54 pct at 10⁻¹ s⁻¹. Direct measurements of isothermal values ofm at 23, 60, and 90 °C show thatm increases with rate.e _tot, therefore, would be expected to increase with rate. Since under nonisothermal conditionse _tot does not change, it appears thatm and thermal gradients are competing influences on ductility at higher rates. Enhanced ductility in stampings should be possible by suppressing gradients, either by controlling die temperature or by heat transfer properties of a lubricant.