The influence of deformation, annealing and recrystallisation on oxide nanofeatures in oxide dispersion strengthened steel

Abstract This work demonstrates that Y-Ti oxide nanofeatures, observed in as-extruded oxide dispersion strengthened steel, are structurally modified by cold forging. A 950 °C heat treatment promoted restructuring of the deformed particles and partial recrystallisation of the cold forged alloy. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that cuboid shaped nanofeatures were deformed during forging, which resulted in high number densities of lens shaped yttrium-titanium oxide particles. Annealing the forged alloy promoted partial recrystallisation of the ferritic matrix. Particle morphology reverted from lens shaped, as witnessed in the deformed material, to cuboid shaped oxide nanofeatures, identical to those observed in as-extruded material. Precipitation distributions evaluated in both recrystallised and recovering grains were indistinguishable from those first measured in the as-extruded alloy. TEM images revealed a widespread orientation relationship between the oxide precipitates and the recrystallised grains; registration with the ferrite lattice was omnipresent in both recovering and recrystallised grains.