Constitutive Behavior and Microstructural Evolution of Novel FeSiCrNi High Silicon Steel under Hot Deformation

A novel FeSiCrNi high silicon steel with a nominal mass fraction of Fe-6.5Si-2Cr-12Ni is fabricated by adding Cr and Ni elements to high silicon steel. FeSiCrNi high silicon steel is composed of A2 disordered phase, α-Fe phase and a very small number of B2 ordered phases. FeSiCrNi sample is subjected to compressive deformation at different deformation temperatures (700-1000 °C) and different strain rates (0.0005, 0.005 and 0.05 s −1 ). The constitutive equation considering strain compensation is constructed and it can accurately describe the flow stress of FeSiCrNi sample during compressive deformation at high temperatures. The microstructures of the deformed FeSiCrNi samples are characterized and the results show that the addition of Ni and Cr elements leads to the inhibition of dynamic recrystallization. Dynamic recovery is dominant in the FeSiCrNi samples deformed at 700 and 800 °C, whereas dynamic recrystallization is dominant in the FeSiCrNi samples deformed at 900 and 1000 °C. In addition, continuous dynamic recrystallization is found to appear in α-Fe and A2 phases simultaneously. λ fiber textures ({001} cube texture, {001} rotation-cube texture and {001} texture) and γ fiber textures ({111} texture and {111} texture) are observed in the deformed FeSiCrNi samples.