Hot deformation characteristics and strain-dependent constitutive analysis of Inconel 600 superalloy

The hot deformation characteristics and constitutive analysis of Inconel (IN) 600 superalloy were investigated at elevated temperatures. Hot compressive tests were carried out in the temperature and strain rate ranging from 900 to 1150 °C and 1 × 10−3–10 s−1, respectively. The flow behavior analyses and microstructural observations indicate that the softening mechanisms were related to dynamic recrystallization (DRX) and grain growth. DRX played a dominant role in the microstructural evolution at low temperatures (or high strain rates). DRX was the dominant softening effect at low strains on testing at high temperatures with low strain rates, whereas growth of the dynamically recrystallized grains was responsible for softening at high strains. The flow stress of IN 600 was fitted well by the constitutive equation of the hyperbolic sine function under the deformation conditions performed in this study. A constitutive equation as a function of strain was established through a simple extension of the hyperbolic sine constitutive relation.