Dynamic recrystallisation behaviour and microstructural evolution in a Mn–Cr gear steel

Abstract

Using a Gleeble 1500 hot simulator, the dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) behaviour and changes of DRX grain size of a Mn–Cr type gear steel have been investigated at deformation temperatures of 900–1150°C, strain rates of 0·1–1 s-1, and initial austenite grain sizes of 70–150μm. The experimental results show that the Mn–Cr gear steel exhibits a typical DRX behaviour under higher deformation temperatures, lower strain rates and smaller initial austenite grain sizes. The DRX takes place under conditions such that the Zener–Hollomon parameter Z is less than a critical value Zc. By regression analysis, activation energy and stress exponent were determined to be 378 kJ mol-1 and 5·8 respectively. The DRX grain size is a power law function of Z with an exponent of -0·25. The reason why the Z parameter determines uniquely the DRX grain size was analyzed.