Nanocrystallization of alloy 3J33 by a complex thermomechanical treatment process

In this paper, the alloy 3J33 has been nanocrystallized by a complex thermomechanical treatment process: solution treatment, hot-rolling deformation, cold-drawn deformation and direct electric heating. The nanocrystallization mechanism for the complex thermomechanical treatment of alloy 3J33 was investigated as well. For this alloy two times of solution treatment at 1100 °C for 60 min, its grain can be refined remarkably from 100 μm to nano-scale based on applying firstly 66% continuous hot-rolling deformation from 1100 °C to 900 °C and secondly 70% cold working at room temperature and finally direct electric heating to 1100 °C and quenching in water. The nanocrystallization of alloy 3J33 results mainly from the decreases of the cold working stored energy and the free energy of α′ → γ transformation during quick electric heating.