Characterization of Dynamic Recrystallization and Microstructural Evolution using 3D Workability Map of Homogenized Co12.5Cr12.5Cu12.5Fe12.5Ni37.5Si12.5 High-Entropy Alloy
摘要
Thermomechanical processing is a reliable technique employed to gain insight into high-temperature behaviors and to optimize its microstructural characteristics. In this study, the hot deformation characteristics of a novel Co12.5Cr12.5Cu12.5Fe12.5Ni37.5Si12.5 high-entropy alloy (HEA) were systematically evaluated in homogenized condition across a thermomechanical range of 800-950 °C and 0.01 to 10 s-1 up to 0.92 true strain. The experimental flow stress curve revealed a gradual increase in true stress values with increasing deformation rates and decreasing deformation temperatures. The Arrhenius-type constitutive equations revealed the strain hardening exponent of 4.84 and mean deformation activation energy of 541 kJ/mol under peak flow stress conditions. The high-temperature workability of the studied alloy was optimized with the modified dynamic material model (MDMM), and the three-dimensional workability map displayed a progressive increase in power dissipation efficiency with increasing strain. The workability map demonstrated a peak dissipation efficiency (η) of 61%. The microstructural analysis in zone 1 revealed that material had undergone significant dynamic softening (DRX fraction ~ 79%). The mechanism of dynamic recrystallization during hot working was identified as discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX). The conceptualization of thermomechanical range (including workability map and microstructural evolution) identified as Zone D in the optimum working range of 890-950 °C, 0.01-0.025 s-1.