Papers by Author: Lin Sun

Abstract: In the present study, monotonic and cyclical torsional deformations of an X-70 microalloyed steel were conducted at austenite temperatures below the recrystallisation-stop temperature (T_5%). The austenite deformation is followed by accelerated continuous cooling to allow the investigation of the strain reversal effect on the subsequent phase transformation mechanisms. The transformation behaviours were studied by a dilatometry method, and the microstructures of the transformed products have been analysed using electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD). The results of this study shows that although subjected to the same total cumulative strain and the same cooling rate, strain path reversal by cyclical torsion produces lower temperature transformation products involving mainly a displacive mechanism, comparing to simple strain path deformation which leads to higher temperature transformation by a reconstructive mechanism.

Abstract: Recent observations show that the strain reversal affects significantly and in a complex way both the static recrystallisation (SRX) and strain-induced precipitation (PPT) kinetics in Nb-microalloyed steel. It is already known that the recrystallisation stagnation is a consequence of the competition between the driving pressure for recrystallisation and the pinning pressure caused by the strain-induced precipitation of Nb (C,N) precipitates. Both of these parameters depend in turn on the local dislocation density. Thus, it is expected that a variation of the local dislocation density due to reversal of the strain will affect at the same time the local driving and the pinning pressures, which will cause the difference in the hardening levels. In the present paper, the influence of strain path change on microstructure evolution and mechanical behaviour in Nb-microalloyed steel (API X-70 grade) was studied. The deformation schedules were designed in order to investigate an effect of strain reversal on both static recrystallisation and strain-induced precipitation process kinetics. Flow curves recorded during deformation of X-70 steel showed clear influence of applied strain path on both static recrystallisation kinetics and strain-induced precipitation process.

Abstract: Changes in strain path represent one of the most important processing parameters that characterise hot metal forming processes. In the present study, the effect of strain path change on dynamic recrystallisation, strain-induced precipitation processes and phase transformation behaviour in plain carbon and Nb-microalloyed steels was investigated. To assess the effect of strain-path change, forward/forward and forward/reverse torsion tests were conducted. It has been shown that the strain reversal delays the dynamic recrystallisation kinetics whereas its effect on strain-induced precipitation process of Nb(C,N) is rather negligible. Also the onset of austenite-ferrite transformation is delayed; its products however doesn’t change significantly. This can be due to the fact that ferrite nucleation density plays the second order role compared to the geometry of deformation.

Abstract: In the present study, the effect of austenite deformation on the recrystallisation behaviour in terms of recrystallisation-stop and recrystallisation-limit temperatures (T5% and T95%) of an X70 niobium microalloyed pipeline steel have been investigated by interrupted plane strain compression tests. The extents of recrystallisation are calculated using a modified fractional softening parameter. And the 20% and 60% of fractional softening were correlated to T5% and T95%. Quantitative optical metallography indicates that this method provides for a convenient and reliable experimental measurement of the critical temperatures associated with the recrystallisation of austenite. The recrystallisation kinetics and the precipitation kinetics of Nb(CN) were calculated using two widely applied models. The experimental results from this study suggest that the current model of precipitation kinetics might overestimate the precipitation start time.