Microstructure and Constitutive Equation of Hot Compressive Fe-15Mn-15Al-5Ni-1C Low-Density Steel.

The hot deformation behavior and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) of Fe-15Mn-15Al-5Ni-1C low-density steel in the as-cast state was investigated via hot compression experiments over temperature and strain rate ranges of 925 to 1150 °C and 0.01 to 10 s, respectively. A constitutive equation and a critical DRX model of the Fe-15Mn-15Al-5Ni-1C low-density steel were also constructed. The results showed that higher strain rates resulted in significant work hardening and subsequent rapid softening of the Fe-15Mn-15Al-5Ni-1C low-density steel, while lower strain rates resulted in predominantly steady-state flow behavior. The activation energy of deformation for the Fe-15Mn-15Al-5Ni-1C low-density steel was Q = 540 kJ mol and the stress index was n = 4. The hot deformation mechanism was solute dragging and dislocation climbing, which was controlled by the strain rate. Increasing the deformation temperature or strain rate reduced the critical stress value σ of the DRX of the Fe-15Mn-15Al-5Ni-1C low-density steel and contributed to the DRX of austenite and δ-ferrite. The Fe-15Mn-15Al-5Ni-1C low-density steel after the hot compression deformation was mainly composed of austenite, ferrite, and κ carbide phases.