Processing maps for hot working of Cu-Ni-Zn alloys

Abstract

The constitutive behaviour of α-nickel silver in the temperature range 700–950°C and strain rate range 0.001–100 s^–1 was characterized with the help of a processing map generated on the basis of the principles of the "dynamic materials model" of Prasad et al. Using the flow stress data, processing maps showing the variation of the efficiency of power dissipation (given by 2m/(m+1) where m is the strain-rate sensitivity) with temperature and strain rate were obtained, α-nickel silver exhibits a single domain at temperatures greater than 750°C and at strain rates lower than 1 s^–1, with a maximum efficiency of 38% occurring at about 950°C and at a strain rate of 0.1 s^–1. In the domain the material undergoes dynamic recrystallization (DRX). On the basis of a model, it is shown that the DRX is controlled by the rate of interface formation (nucleation) which depends on the diffusion-controlled process of thermal recovery by climb. At high strain rates (10 and 100s^–1) the material undergoes microstructural instabilities, the manifestations of which are in the form of adiabatic shear bands and strain markings.