Hot Deformation Behavior and Processing Map of a Fe-11Mn-10Al-0.9C Duplex Low-Density Steel Susceptible to κ-Carbides

The hot deformation behavior of a Fe-11Mn-10Al-0.9C duplex low-density steel has been investigated, based on a series of isothermal compression tests at temperatures of 800-1100 °C and strain rates of 0.001-10 s⁻¹. At relatively lower temperatures, with austenite decomposing, continuous dynamic recrystallization of ferrite and the formation of inter-granular κ-carbide were responsible for significant softening. At high deformation temperature where austenite was a dominant phase, dynamic recrystallization (DRX) is the restoration mechanism. Processing maps were developed at different plastic strains employing dynamic materials model and further verified through microstructural characterization. The optimal hot deformation condition at a large strain (0.7) was identified as deformation temperature of 950-1100 °C and strain rate of 0.01-1.0 s⁻¹. In this domain, the original coarse grains could be replaced by the fine and uniform recrystallized grains, indicating that the high efficiency was dissipated by DRX. Meanwhile, two instable regions resulted from the formation of inter-granular κ-carbides and necklace structure should be avoided during hot processing.