Experimental and numerical study on the temperature sensitivity of the dynamic recrystallization activation energy and strain rate exponent in the JMAK model

Abstract

The temperature dependency of the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) activation energy and strain rate exponent, which are major material properties in the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov (JMAK) model affecting the DRX phenomenon, are quantitatively presented in experimental and numerical ways. A finite element analysis-based optimization method was used to acquire the material properties of the JMAK model. The first and second stages of a three-stage hot forging process for a bearing outer race were used to obtain and verify all of the material properties, including the DRX activation energy and the strain rate exponent of the JMAK model, which were assumed to be constants or functions of temperature. The predicted grain size after the third stage obtained with the optimized material properties was compared with the experimental values to validate the acquired material properties and reveal the dependence of the two major material properties on temperature. The comparison showed that the difference between the measured and predicted grain sizes was significantly smaller for temperature-dependent material properties, indicating that the DRX activation energy and strain rate exponent are highly temperature-dependent. Keywords: Activation energy, Dynamic recrystallization, Grain size, JMAK model, Strain rate exponent, Temperature effect