Hot Working Behavior in Multiphase Steel with Ti and V

This study investigated the effect of hot working conditions on changes in yield stress and the softening degree in the newly developed multiphase steel with Ti and V microadditions. The research was performed on the GLEEBLE 3800 thermomechanical simulator. In order to determine the σ-ε curves, continuous compression tests were carried out. The samples were plastically deformed at temperatures from 900 °C to 1100 °C at the rate of 0.1 s−1, 1 s−1 and 10 s−1. The activation energy of the plastic deformation was 375 kJ·mol−1. The analysis of the shape and course of the curves indicated that the decrease in strain hardening was mainly the result of the continuous dynamic recrystallization process. Two-stage compression with isothermal holding of the samples was also carried out between the two stages of deformation lasting from 1 s to 50 s. The structure of primary austenite was generated using the ARPGE software. The different size of austenite grain is the result of various thermally activated processes—when increasing the strain rate from 0.1 s−1 to 10 s−1, the average grain size of the primary austenite decreases from approx. 16 µm to approx. 6 µm. The time t0.5 needed to form 50% of the austenite fraction recrystallized at 1100 °C is approx. 4 s and extends to approx. 10 s with the reduction in the plastic deformation temperature to 900 °C. The time of complete austenite recrystallization tR, which varies from approx. 50 s to approx. 90 s in the tested temperature range, lengthens even more. The obtained results make it possible to develop thermomechanical treatment technology for the production of forgings from the tested multiphase steel.