Study on the Hot Deformation Characterization of Borated Stainless Steel by Hot Isostatic Pressing

Borated stainless steel (BSS) specimens have a boron content of 1.86 wt%, and are prepared by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) conducted at different temperatures, ranging from 1000 to 1100 °C and a constant true strain rate (0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 s−1). These tests, with observations and microstructural analysis, have achieved the hot deformation characteristics and mechanisms of BSS. In this research, the activation energy (Q) and Zener–Hollomon parameter (Z) were contrasted against the flow curves: Q = 442.35 kJ/mol. The critical conditions associated with the initiation of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) for BSS were precisely calculated based on the function between the strain hardening rate with the flow stress: at different temperatures from 1000 to 1100 °C: the critical stresses were 146.69–254.77 MPa and the critical strains were 0.022–0.044. The facts show that the boron-containing phase of BSS prevented the onset of DRX, despite the saturated boron in the austenite initiated DRX. The microstructural analysis showed that hot deformation promoted the generation of borides, which differed from the initial microstructure of HIP. The inhomogeneous distribution of elements in the boron-containing phase was caused by hot compression.

Modelling the influence of strain and strain rate on the thermal softening during dynamic loading of ductile metals

Although the combined effect of strain rate and temperature on the behaviour of metals is widely recognized, no universally accepted viewpoints are available about the physical phenomena. Experiments on a highly ductile A2-70 steel, performed at moderate dynamic rates (10 s-1) and different initial temperatures (20 to 150 °C), are firstly aimed here at assessing whether the thermal softening previously verified at static rates on the same steel is also suitable for describing now the mixed effect of dynamic rates and consequent variable temperatures, or further contributions to the thermal softening are necessary for describing such mixed effects. A general multiplicative model of the dynamic hardening is proposed, based on a static flow curve at room temperature to be increased by the dynamic amplification and to be decreased by the thermal softening, the latter incorporating the known “static component” depending on both strain and constant temperatures, together with a new “dynamic component” incorporating the dependence on the temperature variation and promoted by fast straining. The dynamic amplification of the stress is then obtained from another series of dynamic tests ran at initial room temperature and four nominal strain rates between 1 and 1800 s-1. The trend obtained is compatible with the seizing of the strain rate effect beyond necking onset, already found for other metals in previous works. All the experiments are based on the acquisition of the current load (by load cells for the testing machine and by strain gauges for the Hopkinson bar) and of the current cross section through optical diameter measurements by a fast camera; then, the effective current values of true stress-true strain-true strain rate are measured on a semi-local basis over the neck section at different instants during the test.

Structure Evolution in Annealed and Hot Deformed AlMg-CeO2 Composite

A brief review of structural investigation and results of mechanical tests for mechanically alloyed AlMg-based composite reinforced with 9 wt.% addition of CeO2 is presented. The as extruded and annealed samples were examined by means of SEM, TEM and X-ray analysis. Heavily refined matrix grains and particles of cerium oxides were observed in the as extruded material. Fine microstructure attained by mechanical alloying and high affinity of oxygen to aluminum-magnesium matrix results in promoted solid state reactions between the matrix and reinforcements at elevated temperatures. Consequently, Al4Ce intermetallic grains and Al/Mg oxides are formed in the result of CeO2 decomposition. Hot compression tests were performed at constant true strain rate of 5·10-3 s-1 within the temperature range of 293 – 823K. Highly refined structure of the material was found to result in high strength of the composite, particularly for samples tested at low and intermediate temperatures.

Microstructure Mapping: An Approach to Quantitative Interpretation of Microstructural Evolution in Indian Fast Reactor Advanced Clad Material during Hot Forging

In this paper, microstructural evolution of Indian Fast Reactor Advanced Clad (IFAC-1) steel during thermo-mechanical processing has been investigated. Hot isothermal forging has been simulated in a Gleeble® thermo-mechanical simulator in the temperature range 1173-1473K and true strain rate range 0.01-100s-1. Instability map has been developed using the stress-strain data obtained. Effect of major forging parameters on various microstructural features has been studied quantitatively. Results from this study have been used to construct various maps (‘μ-maps’) representing different aspects of microstructural evolution. An analogy between the μ-maps and instability maps provides essential insights into possible instability mechanisms operative in the material. The μ-map analysis shows potential as a tool for optimisation of industrial-scale forging parameters.

Microstructure and Crystallographic Texture Development of Microalloyed Twinning Induced Plasticity (TWIP) Steels Under Uniaxial Hot-Tensile Conditions

ABSTRACTNowadays, there are limited referenced data on the hot deformation of twinning induced plasticity (TWIP) steels, particularly on the crystallographic preferred orientation (crystallographic texture). It is well know that texture is one of the most important factors affecting sheet metal forming performance. The aim of this research work is to determine the influence of microalloying elements on the microstructure and texture of high-Mn austenitic TWIP steels deformed under uniaxial hot-tensile conditions. For this purpose, one non-microalloyed and other single microalloyed with Ti, V and Mo TWIP steels were melted in an induction furnace and cast into metal and sand molds. Samples with average austenitic grain size between 400 and 2000 µm were deformed in the temperature range between 800 and 900 °C at a constant true strain rate of 10-3 s-1. The evolution of the microstructure and texture near to the fracture tip were characterized using electron back-scattering diffraction (EBSD) technique. The results show that the TWIP steels microalloyed with V and Mo and the non-microalloyed one, solidified in metal mold, exhibit dynamically recrystallized grains oriented in the [012] preferential direction, which was corroborated by local misorientation measurements, indicating low dislocation density. On the other hand, most TWIP steels solidified in sand molds do not show dynamically recrystallized grains, having the largest austenitic grains oriented in the [001]/[101] preferred directions. In general, weak textural Cube {001}<100> combined with <111> fiber, namely γ-fiber, spread from E {111}<110> to Y {111}<112> as major texture components were detected.

Hot Ductility of Low Carbon Nb-Microalloyed Weathering Steel

High temperature tensile tests of novel developed Nb-microalloyed weathering steels were carried out with a constant true strain rate of 0.001/s at 650°C-1300°C using Gleeble3500 thermo-mechanical simulator. The tensile strength (TS) and reduction in area (RA) were calculated afterwards to obtain hot ductility curve and hot strength curve of the steel. The hot ductility behaviors were studied in detail under optical microscope (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transition electron microscope (TEM). The third brittle zone of the studied steels was between 650°C-800°C. SEM fractographs and microstructures of the tensile specimen showed that the occurrence of the third brittle zone was mainly related to the formation of pro-eutectoid ferrite film along the prior austenite grain boundaries, and secondly to the precipitation of second phases. Therefore, it was recommended that the straightening temperature of the studied steel after casting should be kept over 800°C to get crack free continuous casting (CC) slabs.

Hot Deformation Behavior and Processing Map of a Nickel-Base Superalloy GH4169

The hot deformation behaviors of the nickel-base superalloy GH4169 have been studied by isothermal constant true strain rate compression testing at 950°C-1150°C, 0.01s-1-10s-1and the height reduction 50%. The processing maps of GH4169 alloy have been constructed at different strains on the basis of testing data using a dynamic materials modeling. The maps exhibited two domains: the first at 950°C - 1100°C and strain rate higher than 0.1s-1, with a peak efficiency of power dissipation of 0.1, and the second at 950°C-1100°C and strain rate lower than 1s-1, with a peak efficiency of power dissipation of 0.4 and the strain rate of 0.01s-1. On the basis of microstructure observations, the first exhibits adiabatic shear bands, which called instability domain, the second represents fine recrystallized grain structures, which called stability domain. The optimal hot-working parameters are at 1050°C, 0.01s-1.