Structural aspects of α/β transformation in hot deformed CuZn-39Pb3 alloy

Hot compression tests were performed on commercial CuZn39Pb3 alloy deformed at strain rate of 0.0007 s−1and 0.02 s−1within temperature range of 923 K–1023 K. Flow stress vs. deformation temperature and strain rate dependence was found to follow the relation: \(\dot \varepsilon = 1.23 \cdot \sigma ^3.79 \exp ( - 212/RT)\). Both dynamic recovery and dynamic recrystallization have operated in the presence of fine lead particles being responsible for effective flow stress reduction with increasing deformation temperature. Transformation of α- to β phase above the temperature approx. 1000 K and the following fast cooling of hot deformed samples produced fine, plate-like structure of α-grains, within retained β-matrix. Moreover, coherent fine Fe-particles were observed within α-grains being not detected at any area of β-matrix. The last effect was supposed to result from lower solubility of iron in α-phase than that for β-phase.