Dynamic recrystallization of titanium: Effect of pre-activated twinning at cryogenic temperature

Abstract

A pre-cold-deformation process was applied for commercially pure titanium at cryogenic temperature to activate high-density deformation twins, and subsequent hot-deformation was used to induce dynamic recrystallization (DRX). Three major types of twins were effectively activated during cryogenic deformation, including {112¯2} contraction twins, {112¯1} extension twins, and {101¯2} extension twins. A special type of slipped {112¯1} “twins” was also activated by a sequential effect of twinning and slip. Selection of twinning variants followed Schmid's law well, where only the twinning systems with a Schmid factor of m ≥ 0.4 could be activated. The pre-activated twinning led to a remarkably stable flow stress at 500 °C up to a true strain of 1.0, due to the attainment of dynamic equilibrium between strain hardening and high-temperature softening. Two DRX stages occurred: (1) twin-active DRX stage, and (2) discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) stage. The DRX mechanisms identified were twinning-induced DRX (or TDRX) and DDRX. While the low-temperature slip alone had little influence on DRX, the pre-activated {112¯2} twins, {112¯1} twins, {101¯2} twins and slipped {112¯1} “twins” contributed effectively to DRX in the form of spheroidization of twin lamellae due to twin-dislocation interactions, leading to a substantial grain refinement from ∼41 to ∼1 μm during subsequent hot-deformation.