Analysis of Stress-Strain Curves to Predict Dynamic Recrystallization During Hot Deformation of M300 Grade Maraging Steel

18Ni-2000 MPa maraging steel (M300 grade) is extensively used for performance critical aerospace applications where strength-toughness balance is the basis for material selection. The key to achieve the desired mechanical properties in the final product is to process the material under conditions that will impart an equiaxed, fine grained microstructure. This in turn is controlled by the selected deformation processing conditions such as strain, strain rate and temperature. Therefore, hot deformation behavior of the material is usually studied under wide temperature, and strain rate ranges to map the microstructural evolution with specimens deformed to a given strain. However, the effect of strain on the microstructural evolution, its effect on the initiation and termination of dynamic recrystallization are essential to obtain balanced mechanical properties. In this study, analysis of stress-strain curves was conducted with an intention to obtain fine prior austenite grain (PAG) size through dynamic recrystallization (DRX), and the same was verified experimentally from the microstructures evolved through hot isothermal compression tests on cylindrical specimens subjected to different strains. A single peak type DRX curve was identified for analysis from the high temperature stress-strain curves. The theoretically determined critical strain was used to experimentally verify the initiation of DRX (DRXI) and transition from DRX dominant region to grain growth dominant region (DRXT). Hot isothermal compression tests have been conducted at T=1100°C and ε ̇= 0.1s⁻¹ and obtained PAG size of 7.68 µm in the specimen deformed to theoretically determined optimum strain of 0.6, thereby validating the used models.