METALS AND MATERIALS International, Vol. 8, No. 1 (2002), pp.

7~13

Continuous Dynamic Recrystallization of AISI 430 Ferritic Stainless Steel

Sung-Il Kim and Yeon-Chul Yoo

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Inha University

253 Yonghyun-dong, Nam-ku, Incheon 402-751, Korea

The high-temperature deformation behavior of AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel was studied by torsion tests. The
−2
deformation tests were performed in the temperature range of 900-1100oC and strain rate range of 5.0×10
-5.0/sec. The evolutions of flow stress and microstructure show the characteristics of continuous dynamic
recrystallization (CDRX). The flow stress gradually decreased with strain over the peak stress without steady
state. Below the 100% effective strain, grains appeared in small angle grain boundaries with a misorientation
of 3-9o. In addition, when heavy deformation (>300%) was applied, higher misorientation (~15o) was achieved.
The tendency of CDRX increased with increasing strain rate and decreasing temperature. The dependence
of CDRX grain size on the strain rate and temperature was discussed.
Keywords : high temperature deformation, ferritic stainless steel, continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX),
grain boundary misorientation, electron back-scattered diffraction

1. INTRODUCTION and these include continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX)

in the initial stages of superplasticity and geometric dynamic
The dislocation substructures of metals are developed due recrystallization (GDRX), both of which refine grain size
to dynamic softening, through such mechanisms as dynamic [13-22]. The CDRX occurs by the continued accumulation
recovery (DRV) and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) dur- of dislocations in subgrain boundaries, leading to the pro-
ing hot working [1-8]. In the case of ferritic stainless steels gressive increase of misorientations in subgrains and the for-
with a high stacking fault energy, the major dynamic soften- mation of high angle boundaries [13-22].
ing mechanism is known as dynamic recovery (DRV) [2]. In this paper, the high-temperature plastic deformation
Especially, AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel exhibits a low behavior of AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel was described
density of dislocation during high-temperature plastic defor- with the CDRX. Also, how to restrict the occurrence of ridg-
mation. Thus, the hot deformed ferritic stainless steel some- ing was demonstrated.
times has large elongated grains. In practical deformation
such as rolling and forging, the ferritic stainless steel shows 2. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
ridging due to the colony of large elongated grains with a
{001} <011> texture [9-11]. To restrict ridging and to achieve The AISI 430 stainless steel of nominal composition Fe
fine grains, many studies have been performed. However, -16.5 wt.% Cr -0.018 wt.% C, was produced by vacuum induc-
most of the studies did not consider the softening mechanism tion melting and torsion test specimens with a gauge section
[9-12]. of 20 mm length and 5 mm radius were machined. The spec-
−1
Recently, some researchers have reported that aluminum imens were reheated to 1100oC at a rate of 1 s and were held
alloys and ferritic steel show dynamic recrystallization and for 5 minutes. The specimens were cooled down to a defor-
grain refinement at certain deformation conditions [13-16]. mation temperature. The ferrite grain size of annealed speci-
This softening mechanism is different from the DRX in mens before deformation was about 400 μm. To investigate
many ways. The DRX in metals does not occur due to their the effects of deformation temperature and strain rate on the
high stacking fault energy (SFE) and the primary softening microstructure and flow stress, continuous deformation tests
mechanism is only dynamic recovery, though exceptions were conducted in the temperature range of 900-1100oC and
−2
have been made for very high purity aluminum and some strain rate range of 5×10 -5/sec. After the deformation, the
alloys containing particles. Although the basis for these specimens were quenched to room temperature by air and
exceptions has not been clearly understood, several different water spray in order to investigate the hot deformed micro-
dynamic recrystallization mechanisms have been proposed structure.

Sung-Il Kim and Yeon-Chul Yoo

Fig. 1. Effective stress-effective strain curves under (a) various temperatures at 0.5/sec and (b) various strain rates at 1000 oC.

The deformed specimens were polished with 0.5 μm dia- within original grains In spite of the deformation, the shape
mond paste and then etched with a solution of 50% concen- of the original grain was little changed. Especially, severely
trated HNO3 to reveal the microstructure on tangential deformed microstructures have many subgrains inside fine
planes just below the surface of the deformed specimen. The grains as shown in Fig. 2(e). The microstructure was clearly
analysis of microstructure was performed by optical micros- distinguished from the original, slightly deformed, one by
copy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM, Philips optical microscopy.
CM200). The specimens for TEM observation were mechan- Fig. 3 shows the characteristics of grain boundaries with
ically ground to ~60 μm and then jet-polished. The charac- increasing strain. At low strain deformation, Figs. 3(a) and
teristics of grain boundaries were investigated with electron (b), a low density of dislocations could be observed. On the
back scattered diffraction (EBSD, JSM 6300 & Link Opal, other hand, at a large strain deformation, the dislocation sub-
Seoul National University). structures were developed to subgrain and many dislocations
were tangled around the subgrain boundaries. Especially, these
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION subgrains with low angle grain boundaries are evolved into
grains with high angle grain boundaries with increasing strain.
3.1. Continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) Therefore, it is concluded that dynamic recovery and contin-
Fig. 1 shows the effective stress effective strain curves of uous work hardening processes develop strain-induced fine
AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel obtained under various defor- grains. The flow curves and microstructural evolutions show
mation conditions. The flow stress curves exhibit the peak the characteristics of CDRX [13-21].
value and gradually reduce with strain. The flow curves do Fig. 4 represents the evolution of grain boundary angle
not show the steady state of flow stress. It is interesting to obtained from electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD).
note that the flow curves show different features from the The five color lines in the misorientation map and color
traditional characteristics of DRV and DRX [1-8]. The flow areas in the crystal orientation map indicate the ranges of
stress curves of the metals, softened by DRX or DRV, have grain boundary angle and crystal axis, respectively. The image,
the steady state of flow stress. However, the flow stress curves a grain boundaries misorientation map and crystal orienta-
of AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel do not have the steady tion map of a 10% strain deformed specimen are shown in
state. This evolution of flow stress with strain was confirmed Figs. 4(a), (d) and (g), respectively. Most grain boundaries
from the work hardening rate (θ = dσ/dε) of flow curve shown have a low angle and some subgrain boundaries are not
in Fig. 2(a). The work hardening rate reduced with strain and exhibited on the misorientation map. When 50% strain
reached zero at the peak strain corresponding to peak stress. deformation was applied on AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel,
The work hardening rate decreased gradually to negative the misorientation of the subgrain boundaries increased (Figs.
values with increasing strain and then approached zero at a 4(b) and (e)). For large strain deformation (500%), most
very high strain. This result indicates that another softening grains have high angle grain boundaries (Figs. 4(c) and (f)).
mechanism is involved in this alloy. These results can be explained by the fact that the subgrains
Figs. 2(b)-(f) show the evolution of microstructure with with low angle grain boundaries evolved to the grains which
strain observed by optical microscopy. The initial grain size were composed of high angle grain boundaries, with increas-
before deformation was about 400 μm. At the small strain ing strain. Also, the crystal orientation maps indicate that the
deformation, Figs. 2(c) and (d), the subgrains were developed CDRX induces grain refinement (Figs. 4(g)-(i)). In addition,
 Continuous Dynamic Recrystallization of AISI 430 Ferritic Stainless Steel 

Fig. 2. (a) Flow stress curve and (b)-(f) microstructures obtained under various deformation conditions. The microstructures of (b), (c), (d), and
(e) were obtained from A (before deformation), B (50% strain deformation), C (100%), and D (300%) in (a), respectively.

o
Fig. 3. TEM bright field images of the samples deformed at 1000 C and 0.5/sec under various strains; (a) 10%, (b) 50% and (c) 100%.

the CDRX developed the various crystal orientations at each the range of 20-80 MPa under various deformation condi-
grain so that ridging was restricted. It is, therefore, reason- tions (Fig. 1). Under the same deformation condition, these
ably concluded that the development of a substructure refines values are lower than those of austenitic stainless steels which
grains by continuous deformation. were softened by DRX [2,8]. The flow stress increased to
about 50 MPa with an increasing strain rate from 0.05 to 5/sec
3.2. Effects of temperature and strain rate on CDRX (Fig. 1). The flow curves are useful regardless of softening
The flow stress of AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel was in mechanisms since they are used to estimate the mean flow
 Sung-Il Kim and Yeon-Chul Yoo

o
Fig. 4. Images of electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) at 1000 C and 0.5/sec under various strains; (a) 10%, (b) 50% and (c) 500%. Grain
o
boundary misorientation maps of electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) at 1000 C and 0.5/sec under various strains; (d) 10%, (e) 50% and
o
(f) 500%. Crystal orientation maps of electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) at 1000 C and 0.5/sec under various strains; (g) 10%, (h) 50%
and (i) 500%.

stress in an operation to a specific deformation. Thus, the m. The calculated strain rate sensitivity of AISI 430 ferritic
dependence of flow stress on the strain rate is expressed by stainless steel is about 0.23 in the temperature range of 900-
o
Fig. 5(a) and by following the equation: 1100 C. Under the same deformation condition, this value is
quite similar to that of austenitic stainless steel [2,8].
ε· = Aσp
n
(1) As the strain rate is increased, softening is constrained
with successive deformation, although the deformation energy
where, σp is the peak stress and ε· is the strain rate. The value is accumulated. The accumulation of dislocation increase the
of peak stress can be taken from Fig. 1. The values of A and n number of subgrains and CDRX grains. Fig. 6 shows the
are experimental constants obtained from Fig. 5(a). A is the microstructures of AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel with a
−8
8.1×10 and n is the reciprocal value of strain rate sensitivity, 500% strain deformed under various deformation condi-
 Continuous Dynamic Recrystallization of AISI 430 Ferritic Stainless Steel 

Fig. 5. (a) Relationship between peak stress and strain rate and (b) Relationship between peak stress and temperature.

Fig. 6. Optical microstructures of AISI 430 stainless steel deformed under various deformation conditions: (a) 900oC, 5/sec, (b) 1000oC, 5/sec, (c)
o o
1000 C, 0.05/sec and (d) 1100 C, 0.05/sec.

tions. The mean size of grain which has the high angle grain energy developed during deformation [2,3,8]. To simulta-
boundary decreased with increasing strain rate (Figs. 6(b) neously evaluate the effects of temperature and strain rate on
and (c)). In addition, subgrain boundaries were not found at flow stress, a temperature compensated strain rate parameter,
higher strain rate deformation. This means that the CDRX the Zener-Hollomon parameter (Z), was applied to Eq. 1.
can be activated by high strain rate deformation. The Zener-Hollomon parameter was defined as:
The flow stress values also increased with decreasing tem-
Z= ε· exp(Q/RT) (2)
peratures at a constant strain rate (Fig. 1). The optical micro-
structural observations indicated that the area of recrystallized where Q is the apparent activation energy and R is the gas
grain increased with decreasing temperature (Fig. 6). The constant. The apparent activation energy can be obtained
deformation energy was more accumulated at low tempera- from the plot of ln σp versus 1/T shown in Fig. 5(b). The cal-
tures so the CDRX occurred at low temperatures. It is known culated mean value of Q is 83.54 kJ/mol. This value is lower
that the softening is controlled by thermally activated stored than that of austenitic stainless steel (304 kJ/mol) [8].
 Sung-Il Kim and Yeon-Chul Yoo

Fig. 7. Images of electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) and misorientation at various deformation conditions: (a) 1100oC, 0.05/sec, (b)
o o
1000 C, 0.5/sec, (c) 900 C, 5/sec.

Figs. 6 and 7 show the mean grain size and misorientation

for the various specimens quenched after deformation up to
an effective strain of 500%, respectively. The CDRX grain
size decreased with increasing Z value. As an example, the
mean grain size is about 40 μm at a high Z value (Fig. 6(a)).
The degree of CDRX increased with increasing Z value. This
can be confirmed from the appearing of their subgrains
within grains (Figs. 6(c) and (d)). The grain boundary misori-
entation maps indicate that the CDRX could be stimulated at
a lower temperature and higher strain rate deformation (Fig.
7). In Fig. 7, ‘X’ axis means the misorientation angle and ‘Y’
is the number of scanned pixel per given area, in which Y
values are relative. From these results, it is concluded that the
CDRX is responsible for the high-temperature deformation
mechanism of AISI 430 stainless steel and the grain refine-
ment is achieved from the deformation at high Z values. Fig. 8. Relationship between fully CDRX grain size and Zener-Hol-
lomon parameter (Z).
The prediction of CDRX grain size for AISI 430 stainless
steel could be expressed as the following equation:
−0.17
DCDRX = 386.76 Z (3) 4. CONCLUSIONS

where DCDRX is the mean grain size which was determined The high-temperature softening mechanism of AISI 430
from the specimens quenched after deformation up to effec- ferritic stainless steel was investigated by a hot torsion test in
tive strain of 500%. Eq. 3 was obtained from the linear fitting the temperature range of 900-1100oC and strain rate range of
−2
of measured grain size (Fig. 8). When the AISI 430 stainless 5.0×10 -5.0/sec. The following conclusions were drawn
steel was deformed under higher Z conditions, the refined from the analysis of flow curves and microstructures.
grains could be achieved. (1) The substructures with low angle grain boundaries
When the initial grain size of the AISI 430 stainless steel were developed to the high angle grain boundaries by contin-
used was smaller than 400 μm, the effect of grain refinement uous dynamic recrystallzation. Grain refinement was achieved
increased [22]. by heavy deformation.
 Continuous Dynamic Recrystallization of AISI 430 Ferritic Stainless Steel 

(2) The dependence of flow stress on temperature and 8. S. H. Cho, S. I. Kim and Y. C. Yoo, Metals and Materials
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ε· = 2.2×10 σ 4.35 exp(-83540/RT)
−4
p
3rd European Congress of Stainless Steel 99 Science and
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parameter as in the following equation. Inst. Met. 31, 717 (1967).
−0.17
12. A. Najafi-Zadeh, J. J. Jonas and S. Yue, Metall. Trans. A
DCDRX = 386.76 Z . 23, 2607 (1992).
13. N. Tsuji, T. Shinmiya, Y. Saito and M. Muraki, ISIJ Int. 38,
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7th RisInter. Sympo. on Metall. and Mater., p. 527 (1986).
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