Hot deformation behavior of Fe-29Ni-17Co alloy

Hot compression tests were carried out on a Fe-29Ni-17Co alloy in the temperature range of 900 °C to 1200 °C and at strain rates of 0.001–1 s−1. Dynamic recrystallization was found responsible for flow softening during hot compression. The flow behavior was successfully analyzed by the hyperbolic sine equation and the corresponding material constants A, n and α were determined. The value of apparent activation energy was determined as 423 kJ/mol. The peak and steady state strains showed simple power-law dependence on the Zener-Hollomon parameter. The dynamic recrystallization kinetics was analyzed using Avrami equation and the corresponding exponent was determined to be about 2.7. This value, higher than 2 reported in the literatures, is associated with the mechanism of continuous dynamic recrystallization in the studied alloy. The flow curve up to the peak was modeled by the Cingara equation and the strain exponent, c, was determined about 0.85. The higher value of c compared with the value of 0.2 which has been reported for some stainless steels fortified the idea of extended dynamic recovery or continuous dynamic recrystallization in the studied alloy.