Abstract
Compression tests were carried out on fine grained copper at 870 K and at a constant true strain rate of 1·4×10−3 s−1. Under these conditions, well defined flow stress oscillations followed by steady state flow stress are obtained. Grain size measurements of as deformed material revealed non-monotonic grain coarsening when stress oscillations appear. It was found that grain coarsening is most effective when the flow stress decreases after the first flow stress peak. Periodic flow stress is accompanied by periodic grain coarsening until the latter becomes practically independent of strain when the steady state flow stress region is attained. The structural effects of static processes (recovery and recrystallisation) in dynamically recrystallised material were examined closely. According to the model of periodic dynamic recrystallisation, one would expect periodic changes of the driving force for static restoration processes (mainly metadynamic and/or static recrystallisation). From the present work, conclusions are drawn that are contrary to this concept of structural softening. The critical strain leading to grain coarsening during post-deformation annealing of hot deformed copper was found to be significantly less than the strain corresponding to the first flow stress peak. For higher strains, the grain size of dynamically recrystallised copper was found to be highly stable during annealing for 7 h at 870 K.
MST/978
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