Papers by Author: S.V. Subramanian

Abstract: Stress relaxation was studied in a series of low carbon, high Mn microalloyed steels containing 0.012, 0.06 and 0.1 wt% Nb. The stress-relaxation curves were modeled using a physically-based model that takes into account the time evolution of precipitation, recovery and recrystallization as well as their interactions. The results confirm that high Mn-high Nb design can offer distinct advantage over the low-Mn design for the application of near net shape processing.

Abstract: A physically based model is used to analyze quantitatively, the relative contributions of solute Nb and strain-induced NbC precipitation to the retardation of static recrystallization during the interpass time. The model explicitly takes into account the time evolution of strain-induced precipitation and its interaction with recovery and recrystallization. It is thus possible to quantitatively model the recrystallization kinetics taking into account: i) the effect of solute drag on the boundary mobility, ii) the effect of particle pinning (Zener drag) on the driving force for boundary motion, and iii) the effect of dislocation pinning by strain-induced precipitates, on the recovery kinetics and the nucleation of recrystallization. The analysis shows that there is an optimum partitioning of Nb between matrix solute and strain induced precipitates. This optimum partitioning maximizes particle pinning while ensuring an adequate solute drag effect to prevent the boundary from breaking away from solute atmosphere. The optimum partitioning of Nb between the matrix and the precipitates is shown to depend upon the temperature window of rolling, pass reduction and interpass time. The effect of delaying the kinetics of strain-induced precipitation of NbC through large Mn addition is shown to be an advantage for ensuring adequate solute drag in the low temperature, large pass deformation schedule used in near-net shape processing of thin slab or thick strip castings.

Abstract: The design of base chemistry and optimization of rolling schedule are the two important factors that influence large strain accumulation in multi-pass rolling in order to obtain ultra-fine grain size by dynamic recrystallization. A base chemistry of 0.03C-0.003N-0.08Nb-0.015Ti-1.8Mn (all in weight %) of HTP steel design was chosen in order to control the time evolution of strain induced precipitation of NbC and the strain accumulation through precipitate interaction with recovery and recrystallization at short inter-pass times characteristic of strip rolling. Experimental data on the critical strain for static and dynamic recrystallisation for HTP steel are used in a quantitative model to predict strain accumulation pass by pass and to achieve grain refinement by dynamic recrystallisation through large strain accumulation. The model is used to optimize the time-temperature-deformation schedule to prevent static recrystallization during the inter-pass times and to target ultra-fine grain size through dynamic recrystallization by large strain accumulation. The model predictions are validated by simulation of strip rolling of HTP steel on the thermo-mechanical simulator (WUMSI) to obtain a uniform ultra-fine ferrite grain size of about 1.5 micrometer diameter in final ferrite microstructure.