Microstructural and mechanical characteristics of EUROFER'97 processed by equal channel angular pressing

EUROFER'97 was processed by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at 823 K for a total of 4 or 8 passes, using a die angle of 105°, and its microstructure and tensile behavior in temperature range 568-873 K investigated. A single ECAP pass developed a deformation texture {1 1 0} 〈0 1 1〉 that was practically stable during subsequent ECAP passes. The materials processed by 1 or 2 passes exhibited a fine microstructure of recovered subgrains and tensile behavior very similar to that for the tempered material in the as-received condition. The materials processed using 4 or 8 passes exhibited nearly equiaxial submicron grained structures with a high density of high-angle grain boundaries. These materials became softer than the as-received material at a testing temperature of ∼823 K. EUROFER ECAP processed under the present conditions exhibited hardening ratio somewhat higher than that of the as-received material.