Effect of initial grain size of austenite on hot-deformed structure of Ni-30Fe alloy

Abstract

The microstructural evolutions of Ni-30Fe alloys during hot deformation are investigated. Hot-deformed structures of Ni-30Fe alloys with initial austenite grain sizes of 20 and 140 µm are examined under various compressive strains and deformation temperatures. As the initial austenite grain size decreases, dynamic recrystallization (DRX) occurs at lower compressive strain and lower deformation temperature. At deformation temperatures where dynamic recovery occurs instead of the DRX, hot-deformed structures consist of recovered elongated grains until fine-equiaxed grains are evolved by geometric DRX. Critical compressive strain for the geometric DRX decreases with the decrease of initial austenite grain size. Geometric DRX is evolved by the impingement of serrated grain boundaries. The decrease of initial grain size is considered to reduce the critical compressive strain needed for the impingement of serrated grain boundaries. The changes in the effective thickness of austenite grain according to the compressive deformation are examined and the effects of the restoration processes on the effective thickness of austenite grain are discussed.