Influence of strain rate on subsolvus dynamic and post-dynamic recrystallization kinetics of Inconel 718

Abstract Influence of strain rate on dynamic and post-dynamic recrystallization kinetics of Inconel 718 is investigated by performing hot compression tests at constant strain rate in the range [ 0.001 ; 1 ] s − 1 in the δ -subsolvus domain, with or without post-deformation holding at the deformation temperature. Dynamically and post-dynamically recrystallized grains are distinguished based on their internal misorientations, using EBSD data with enhanced angular resolution. For the applied deformation conditions ( T = 980 ° C and e = 0.7 ), dynamic recrystallization is inhibited at e ˙ > 0.1 s − 1 . On the other hand, very fast post-dynamic recrystallization is promoted by high strain rates, with characteristic times which can be as short as few seconds to achieve full recrystallization. Most of previous works on the effect of strain rate on dynamic recrystallization kinetics were done by quenching samples right after deformation, without discriminating dynamically and post-dynamically recrystallized grains. Those works led to the conclusion that increasing strain rate beyond a critical value leads to an increase in dynamic recrystallization kinetics. Experimental quenching delays cannot be shorter that few seconds, which is shown here to be sufficient to get a significant increase in recrystallized fraction by post-dynamic mechanisms. Based on the present work, post-dynamic evolutions are actually very likely to be responsible for the apparent increase in dynamic recrystallization kinetics at high strain rates which has often been reported previously.