EBSD analysis of evolution of dynamic recrystallization grains and δ phase in a nickel-based superalloy during hot compressive deformation

• DRX behavior is seriously affected by true strain, strain rate and deformation temperature.
• Initial δ phases experience distortion, dissolution and transformation during hot deformation.
• Interactions between δ phase and DRX grains are sensitive to processing parameters.
• Evolution of high angle grain boundaries indicates strong processing parameters dependence.
• δ Phase stimulates DRX by inducing the generation and rotation of subgrains.

Hot compression tests of a nickel-based superalloy with δ phase (Ni3Nb) are performed. The evolution of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) grains and δ phase, as well as the interactions between DRX grains and δ phase, is investigated. It is observed that the fraction of high-angle grain boundaries significantly increases with the increased true strain or the decreased strain rate. This attributes to the obvious DRX nucleation at relatively low strain rates or large true strains. The fraction of high-angle grain boundaries firstly increases, and then decreases when the temperature is increased. It is related to the fact that δ phases sharply dissolute as the deformation temperature exceeds 980 °C, and the restricting effects of δ phases on the growth of DRX grains are significantly weaken. Meanwhile, the initial needle-like δ phases experience the distortion, dissolution and transformation into the rod-like δ phases during hot compression deformation. Besides, δ phase can easily induce high density dislocation cells, which accelerates the formation and rotation of subgrains. So, nucleation of DRX is stimulated by δ phase.

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