The post-deformation recrystallization behaviour of 304 stainless steel following high strain rate deformation

The post-deformation recrystallization behaviour of 304 stainless steel following high strain rate deformation was investigated. The effect of different thermo-mechanical parameters including temperature, strain rate and strain was examined. Here it was found that the softening kinetics can be successfully modelled using a standard Avrami equation with an Avrami exponent, n of 1.15. As the Z value increases the kinetics of recrystallization become less strain rate sensitive, until at the highest values (lowest temperatures/highest strain rates) the material becomes strain rate insensitive. This highlights the potential for large errors when predicting the rate of recrystallization in industrial processes from models developed under laboratory conditions.