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Analysis of the Effect of Al on the Static Softening Kinetics of C-Mn Steels Using a Physically Based Model

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Abstract

The effect of Al addition on the static softening behavior of C-Mn steels was investigated. Double-hit torsion tests were performed at different deformation temperatures ranging from 1198 K to 1338 K (925 °C to 1065 °C) with pass strains of ε = 0.2 and 0.35. It was found that solute Al produced a significant delay on the static softening kinetics. Additionally, at the lowest temperatures [1198 K to 1238 K (925 °C to 965 °C)] and highest Al level (2 wt pct), austenite to ferrite phase transformation was found to be concurrent with softening, leading this to higher softening retardation. The softening kinetics of the steels investigated were analyzed using a physically based model which couples recovery and recrystallization mechanisms. The main parameters of the model were identified for the present alloys. An expression for the grain boundary mobility of the base C-Mn steel was derived and the retarding effect of Al in solid solution on the static recrystallization kinetics was introduced in the model. Reasonable agreement was obtained between model and experimental results for a variety of deformation conditions.

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Abbreviations

b :

magnitude of the Burgers vector

C s :

solute concentration

D :

cross-boundary diffusion coefficient

D 0 :

initial austenite grain size

D Bulk :

bulk diffusion coefficient of the solute in austenite

D GB :

grain boundary self-diffusion coefficient

D REX :

recrystallized austenite grain size

E :

Young’s modulus

E b :

binding energy of solute atoms to grain boundaries

F REX :

driving force for recrystallization

k :

Boltzmann’s constant

K 1 :

constant in Eqs. [9] and [10]

K 2 :

constant in Eq. [19]

l a :

activation length for the recovery process

l Disloc :

activation length for the recovery process due to dislocations

l SD :

activation length for the recovery process due to solutes

M :

Taylor factor

M INT :

grain boundary mobility for the base steel

M Pure :

Turnbull’s estimate for the mobility of a pure material

M S :

grain boundary mobility for the solute containing material

M(t):

grain boundary mobility

n :

Avrami exponent

N REX :

number of recrystallization nuclei

N V :

number of atoms per unit volume

r :

atomic radius of the solute

r Fe :

atomic radius of iron

R :

gas constant

T :

temperature

t 0.5 :

time for 50 pct softening fraction

U a :

activation energy of the recovery process

V a :

activation volume of the recovery process

ν :

Poisson’s ratio for iron

ν d :

Debye frequency

V M :

molar volume of the austenite

X REX :

recrystallized fraction

X SOFT :

fractional softening

α :

interaction parameter in Cahn’s solute drag model

α T :

constant of the order of 0.15 (Eq. [6])

δ :

grain boundary width

ε :

strain

\( \dot{\varepsilon } \) :

strain rate

μ :

austenite shear modulus

ρ(t):

instantaneous dislocation density

σ 0 :

flow stress of the completely softened material

σ m :

flow stress of the work hardened material

σ r :

flow stress of the partially softened material

σ REX :

yield stress of the fully recrystallized matrix

σ y :

yield stress

σ(t):

flow stress of the unrecrystallized material

τ 0.5 :

normalized 50 pct softening time

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge financial support from the European Union, Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFSR-CT-2009-00011).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEIT and TECNUN, University of Navarra, P° de Manuel Lardizabal 15, 20018, Donostia-San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain

    Zaloa Aretxabaleta (Ph.D. Student), Beatriz Pereda (Researcher) & Beatriz López (Professor)

Authors
  1. Zaloa Aretxabaleta
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  2. Beatriz Pereda
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  3. Beatriz López
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Correspondence to Beatriz López.

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Manuscript submitted March 15, 2013.

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Aretxabaleta, Z., Pereda, B. & López, B. Analysis of the Effect of Al on the Static Softening Kinetics of C-Mn Steels Using a Physically Based Model. Metall Mater Trans A 45, 934–947 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-013-2014-2

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