Materials Letters 60 (2006) 1854 – 1858

www.elsevier.com/locate/matlet

Evolution mechanism of grain refinement based on dynamic recrystallization

in multiaxially forged austenite
Jie Huang a,b,⁎, Zhou Xu a
a
Key Laboratory for High Temperature Materials and Tests of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200030 P. R. China
b
Cold Rolling Mill, Baoshan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., Shanghai 201900 P. R. China
Received 3 August 2005; accepted 14 December 2005
Available online 19 January 2006

Abstract

Austenite grain refinement based on continuous dynamic recrystallization can be realized through multiaxial forging Fe–32%Ni alloy at
550 °C and 2 × 10− 2 s− 1, which is generally considered not to take place. It not only greatly reinforces the recrystallization theory but also is of
great directory significance to the development of new generation iron and steel materials. As a result, the evolution of the continuous dynamic
recrystallization during multiaxial forging can be summarized as such a process that deformed bands crossing each other subdivide an austenite
grain into several subgrains and these subgrains are gradually angled to new independent grains with their boundaries being transformed into big
angle boundaries in subsequent deformation.
© 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Large strain and low temperature deformation; Multiaxial forged austenite; Continuous dynamic recrystallization; Grain refinement

1. Introduction As a new approach to produce submicro- or nano-austenite

structures, the large strain and low temperature deformation
It is considered before that whole dynamic restoration contains various processes such as Equal Channel Angular
process is controlled solely by dynamic recovery (DRV) and not Pressing (ECAP) [7–9], Accumulative Roll Bonding (ARB)
by dynamic recrystallization (DRX) when metallic materials are [3–8], Multiaxial Forging (MF) and Torsion under High
deformed below 0.5 Tm (Tm is the melting point of the Pressure (THP), etc. So far most of investigations have focused
material). However, it was recently reported that continuous on behaviors of austenite deformed in ECAP or ARB, while
DRX could take place and the ultra grain refinement to microstructural evolutions of austenite deformed in other
submicro-size or nano-size level was achieved [1–15] within a processes have received relatively less attention. The main
lower temperature range of austenite state under a severe plastic thrust of this paper is principally concerned with elucidating the
deformation such as Equal Channal Angular Pressing, Accu- microstructural evolution and the DRX mechanism of multi-
mulative Roll Bonding, etc. The DRX and ultra grain axially forged austenite.
refinement produced at a large strain and a low temperature
reinforces the recrystallization theory. Therefore, the study on 2. Experimental material and procedure
DRX mechanism under such a large strain and low temperature
deformation is of great value in theory. Additionally, a great Fe–32%Ni alloy was used for the experiment with its
improvement of mechanical properties [16] based on the ultra chemical composition shown in Table 1. The material fits for the
grain refinement is of great directory significance to the
development of new generation iron and steel materials.
Table 1
⁎ Corresponding author. Key Laboratory for High Temperature Materials and Chemical composition of the material used for experiment in weight percent
Tests of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200030 C Si Mn P S Ni Al N O
P.R.China. Tel.: +86 21 56732861; fax: +86 21 62932587.
0.007 0.01 0.04 0.005 0.0006 32.4 0.022 0.00074 0.020
E-mail address: huangjiehjg@sohu.com (J. Huang).

0167-577X/$ - see front matter © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2005.12.110
 J. Huang, Z. Xu / Materials Letters 60 (2006) 1854–1858 1855

observation and investigation of deformed austenite micro-

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of multiaxial forging.
structure, for its martensite starting temperature is below the
room temperature so that it is fully in austenite state at ambient
temperature.
The material was machined into four squares 14 mm long
by 14 mm wide and 14 mm thick. These samples were
annealed at 1200 °C for 60 min, giving an initially austenite

Fig. 2. SEM micrographs of multiaxially forged austenite. (a) Pass0, ∑ε = 0 (b) Pass1, ∑ε = 0.6, ×500; (c) Pass2, ∑ε = 1.3 (d) Pass3, ∑ε = 1.6, ×1000; (e) Pass12,
∑ε = 6.4 (f) Pass15, ∑ε = 7.9, ×2000.
1856 J. Huang, Z. Xu / Materials Letters 60 (2006) 1854–1858
microstructure with initial grain size of about 200 μm. Then
they were alternately compressed in length, width or thickness
(see Fig. 1) at the temperature of 550 °C, an average strain of
0.55 and a strain rate of 2 × 10− 2 s− 1 in the compressor,
followed by taking out within a second and quenching to the
room temperature.
Then specimens above were cut, parallel to the compression
direction, into the slices 0.3 mm thick and 1 mm thick, by wire
cutting. The former is used for electron backscattered diffraction
(EBSD) analysis and the latter for scanning electron microscopy
(SEM) observations after polishing and alternately etching in a
mixed solution (H2O2 : HF : H2O = 17 : 2 : 1) and 4% Nital
solution.
3. Experimental results and analysis
3.1. Grain refinement in multiaxial forging
Fe–32%Ni alloy exhibits a typical DRV behavior during
multiaxial forging deformation. The flow stress rises with an
increase in strain, producing obvious work hardening. On the other
hand, dynamic softening appears and the work-hardening rate
decreases gradually with DRV in which deformed dislocations can
be distinguished or rearranged. As a result, the flow stress rises with
increasing strain. In this case, DRX phenomenon is generally
considered not to take place. However, continuous DRX can occur in
fact under large strain deformation, producing remarkable grain
refinement of austenite. Differing from the discontinuous DRX of
austenite during high temperature deformation with dislocations
removed through the sweeping action of high angle boundaries, the
DRX in large strain and lower temperature deformation is called as
continuous DRX with dislocations remaining in the recrystallized
grains.
It can be seen from Fig. 2 that deformed austenite grains are
remarkably refined with forging Fe–32%Ni alloy austenite alternate-
ly in length, width and thickness at 550 °C and 2 × 10− 2 s− 1.
Remarkable refinement is mainly centralized in previous several
passes of multiaxial forging. As shown in Fig. 2, deformed austenite
grains are refined from initial 200 to about 10 μm after previous 3
passes, namely the first circle in which the cumulative strain is only
Fig. 3. Subdivided anstenite grains by deformed bands.
Fig. 4. Sub-grain boundaries being transformed into big angle boundaries.
1.6. Subsequent deformation to the 15th pass results in a decrease
only from about 10 to 3∼4 μm in grain size. It indicates that its
refinement effect is less remarkable than that in previous passes.
3.2. Evolution mechanism of DRX in multiaxial forging
A series of deformed bands (see Fig. 3) forms in the interior of
austenite grains as grains bear a certain strain in previous passes,
which are slip bands in substance, namely a series of stepwise traces
caused by slippages along a certain crystallographic plane and a
certain crystallographic direction in a grain because of deformation.
These deformed bands often are parallel to each other in the first
pass, while they are in a certain angle or cross each other in the
subsequent passes. It is just these deformed bands crossing each
other that can divide austenite grains or twins. As seen in Fig. 3, the
grain was divided into adjacent parts: A and B and relative slip shear
was produced by Band 1. Subsequently, Part A is kept on being
divided by shear and therefore a new subgrain boundary formed near
Band 2. Consequently, it is reasonable to believe that one of most
important grain refinement process during multiaxial forging is that
the initial austenite grain is subdivided gradually into subgrains by
deformed bands.
On the other hand, seen from the EBSD orientation mapping (see
Fig. 4) of a specimen after the first pass, some white small angle
boundaries parallel to each other, just deformed bands mentioned
above, was formed in grains. Some segments of them seem to be
gradually transformed into black big angle boundaries. It implies that
misorientations between two sides of these small angle boundaries are
increasing gradually. So another important grain refinement process
during multiaxial forging is deduced that subgrain boundaries are
gradually transformed into big angle boundaries with subsequent
deformation.
The viewpoint above is fortunately confirmed by EBSD analysis
between specimens at different cumulative strains. As seen in Fig. 5,
not only deformed austenite grains are refined but also grain
orientations (represented by color) increase with cumulative strain
increasing from 0.6 after the first pass to 5.0 after the 9th pass. In
 J. Huang, Z. Xu / Materials Letters 60 (2006) 1854–1858
Fig. 5. EBSD orientation mappings and misorientation distributions of grain boundaries for austenite multiaxially forged at 550 °C and 2 × 10− 2 s− 1 with different
cumulative strains (a)(c) 0.6 after the first pass, (b)(d) 5.0 after the 9th pass.
addition, misorientations of grain boundaries are basically within
10 degrees after the first pass, indicating most of grain boundaries
are small-angular, while small angle boundaries decrease and big
angle boundaries increase after the 9th pass. This indicates that small
angle boundaries are gradually transformed into big angle boundaries
with increasing cumulative strain. Accordingly, it is concluded that
subgrains formed in previous passes by the subdividing effect of
deformed bands are angled gradually and evolved to new grains in
subsequent passes.
The evolution of continuous DRX during multiaxial forging can be
summarized as a process in Fig. 6. When initial grains are deformed in
some direction, deformed bands will be produced along a certain
direction in deformed grains by slip shear. Once the deformation
direction changes, other deformed bands will also formed along other
directions, in this way, deformed bands will cross each other, by which
an austenite grain can be subdivided into several subgrains. And these
Fig. 6. The evolution mechanism of continuous dynamic recrystallization during
multiaxial forging (a) initial grain, (b) after the first pass, (c) after the second
pass with deformation direction rotated 90°, (d) subgrains angled in the
subsequent passes.
1857
subgrains will be gradually angled to new independent grains and its
boundaries transformed into big angle boundaries in subsequent
passes.
4. Conclusion
Austenite grain refinement based on continuous dynamic
recrystallization can be realized through multiaxial forging
Fe–32%Ni alloy at 550 °C and 2 × 10− 2 s− 1, which is
generally considered not to take place. It not only reinforces
the theory of recrystallization greatly but also is of great
directory significance to the development of new generation
iron and steel materials with the great improvement of
material performance.
The evolution of the continuous dynamic recrystallization
during multiaxial forging can be summarized as such a process
that deformed bands crossing each other subdivide an
austenite grain into several subgrains and these subgrains are
gradually angled to new independent grains with their
boundaries being transformed into big angle boundaries in
subsequent deformation.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the National Natural
Science Foundation of China for the financial support of this
work under grant number 50471017.
1858 J. Huang, Z. Xu / Materials Letters 60 (2006) 1854–1858
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