Mechanical and microstructural analysis of 2205 duplex stainless steel under hot working condition

Hot deformation characteristics of 2205 duplex stainless steel were analyzed by performing hot compression tests at a temperature range of 950–1200 °C and a strain rate of 0.001–1 s−1. Flow stress was modeled by the constitutive equation of hyperbolic sine function. The constants of n, A, α, and the apparent activation energy were determined at different strains. They were then fitted by polynomial equations. Using the hyperbolic sine function and the relations derived between constants and strain flow curves were successfully modeled. Microstructural evolutions were characterized using optical microscopy and electron back scattered diffraction techniques. The results showed that dynamic recovery in ferrite is accelerated at higher temperatures followed by transformation to continuous dynamic recrystallization. Dynamic recrystallization in austenite was postponed by the accommodation of strain in ferrite and very few internal boundaries in austenite. At high strain rates, dynamic recovery in ferrite and dynamic recrystallization in austenite are very slow. Consequently, the total recrystallized fraction decreases. At low temperatures this situation may cause flow instabilities. At low strain rates, softening processes dominate in austenite and ferrite whereas at intermediate strain rates, the formation of substructures is observed in both phases.