A number of physically based models are combined in order to predict microstructure development during hot deformation. The models treat average values for the generation and recovery of vacancies and dislocations, recrystallization and grain growth and the dissolution and precipitation of second phase particles. The models are applied to a number of laboratory experiments made on 304 austenitic stainless steel and the model parameters are adjusted from those used for low alloyed steel mainly in order to obtain the right kinetics for the influence of solute drag on climb of dislocations and on grain growth. The thermodynamic data are obtained using Thermo-Calc© to create solubility products for the possible secondary phases. One case of wire rolling has been analyzed mainly concerning the evolution of recrystallization and grain size. The time, temperature and strain history has been derived using process information. The models are shown to give a fair description of the microstructure development during hot working of the studied austenitic stainless steel. © (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.
The current work aims at developing models supporting design of the rolling and quenching processes. This requires a martensite formation model that can account for effect of previous plastic deformation as well as evolution of stress and temperature during the quenching step. The effect of deformation prior to the cooling on the transformation is evaluated. The experimental result shows that prior deformation impedes the martensite transformation due to the mechanical stabilisation of the austenite phase. Larger deformation above 30% reduces the effect of the mechanical stabilisation due to increase in martensite nucleation sites. The computed transformation curves, based on an extended version of the Koistinen-Marburger equation, agree well with experimental results for pre-straining less than 30 %.
A physically based model is used to describe the microstructural evolution of Nb microalloyed steels during hot rolling. The model is based on a physical description of dislocation density evolution, where the generation and recovery of dislocations determines the flow stress and also the driving force for recrystallization. In the model, abnormally growing subgrains are assumed to be the nuclei of recrystallized grains and recrystallization starts when the subgrains reach a critical size and configuration. The model is used to predict the flow stress during rolling in SSAB Tunnplåt’s hot strip mill. The predicted flow stress in each stand was compared to the stresses calculated by a friction-hill roll-force model. Good fit is obtained between the predicted values by the microstructure model and the measured mill data, with an agreement generally within the interval ±15%.
In FCC metals a single parameter – stacking fault energy (SFE) – can help to predict the expectable way of deformation such as martensitic deformation, deformation twinning or pure dislocation glide. At low SFE one can expect the perfect dislocations to dissociate into partial dislocations, but at high SFE this separation is more restricted. The role of the magnitude of the stacking fault energy on the deformation microstructures and tensile behaviour of different austenitic steels have been investigated using uniaxial tensile testing and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). The SFE was determined by using quantum mechanical first-principles approach. By using plasticity models we make an attempt to explain and interpret the different strain hardening behaviour of stainless steels with different stacking fault energies.
The behavior of a 13% chromium steel subjected to hot deformation has been studied by performing hot compression tests in the temperature range of 850 to 1200 ⁰C and strain rates from 0.01 to 10 s-1. The uniaxial isothermal compression tests were performed on a Gleeble thermo-mechanical simulator. The best function that fits the peak stress for the material and its relation to the Zener-Hollomon parameter (Z) is illustrated. The average activation energy of this alloy for the entire test domain was reviled to be about 557 [kJ mol-1] from the calculations and the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) kinetic were studied to find the fraction DRX in the course of deformation.
Cemented carbides are the most common cutting tools for machining various grades of steels. In this study, wear behavior of two different cemented carbide grades with roughly the same fraction of binder phase and carbide phase but different grain size, in turning austenitic stainless steel is investigated. Wear tests were carried out against 316L stainless steel at 180 and 250 m/mincutting speeds. The worn surface of cutting tool is characterized using high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and 3D optical profiler.The wear of cemented carbide in turning stainless steel is controlled by both chemical and mechanical wear. Plastic deformation, grain fracture and chemical wear is observed on flank and rake face of the cutting insert. In the case of fine-grained, the WC grains has higher surface contact with the adhered material which promotes higher chemical reaction and degradation of WC grains, so chemical wear resistance of the composites is larger when WC grains are larger. The hardness of cemented carbide increase linearly by decreasing grain size, therefore mechanical wear resistance of the composites is larger when WC grains are smaller.
The evolution of the deformation structure with strain has been studied using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Samples from interrupted uniaxial tensile tests and from a cyclic tension/compression test were investigated. The evolution of low angle boundaries (LABs) was studied using boundary maps and by measuring the LAB density. From calculations of local misorientations, smaller orientation changes in the substructure can be illustrated. The different orientations developed with strain within a grain, due to operation of different slip systems in different parts of the grain, were studied using a misorientation profile showing substantial orientation changes after a true strain of 0.24. The texture evolution with increasing strain was followed by using inverse pole figures (IPFs). The observed substructure development in the ferritic and austenitic phases could be successfully correlated with the stress-strain curve from a tensile test. LABs were first observed in the different phases when the strain hardening rate changed in appearance indicating that cross slip started to operate as a significant dislocation recovery mechanism. The evolution of the deformation structure is concluded to occur in a similar manner in the austenitic and ferritic phases but with different texture evolution for the two phases.
Material characterization is of great importance for example to improve and further develop physically based models for predicting the microstructural evolution in steels during and after hot deformation. The aim of this study was to characterize the microstructure evolution during wire rod rolling of an austenitic stainless steel of type AISI 304L in a wire rod block, consisting of eight pairs of rolls, using electron backscatter diffraction. The investigation showed that the grain size in the center of the bar decreases during the first four passes. The grain size decrease from 6.5 Όm after the first roll pass down to 2 Όm, and only small changes was measured in the overall grain size during the last four passes. The subgrain size adopts an almost constant size of 0.9 Όm from the second until the fifth roll pass. During the first 3 passes almost no recrystallization is observed and strain accumulates. Partial recrystallization then starts and for the last 3 passes the recrystallization is almost complete and the texture is nearly random. © (2013) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.