Analysis of Flow Behavior of an Nb-Ti Microalloyed Steel During Hot Deformation

The hot flow behavior of an Nb-Ti microalloyed steel is investigated through hot compression test at various strain rates and temperatures. By the combination of dynamic recovery (DRV) and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) models, a phenomenological constitutive model is developed to derive the flow stress. The predefined activation energy of Q = 270 kJ/mol and the exponent of n = 5 are successfully set to derive critical stress at the onset of DRX and saturation stress of DRV as functions of the Zener-Hollomon parameter by the classical hyperbolic sine equation. The remaining parameters of the constitutive model are determined by fitting them to the experiments. Through substitution of a normalized strain in the DRV model and considering the interconnections between dependent parameters, a new model is developed. It is shown that, despite its fewer parameters, this model is in good agreement with the experiments. Accurate analyses of flow data along with microstructural analyses indicate that the dissolution of NbC precipitates and its consequent solid solution strengthening and retardation of DRX are responsible for the distinguished behaviors in the two temperature ranges between T < 1100 A degrees C and T > 1100 A degrees C. Nevertheless, it is shown that a single constitutive equation can still be employed for the present steel in the whole tested temperature ranges.