Recrystallization: a Mechanism to Control the Microstructure During and Following Hot Deformation of Steels

Thermomechanical treatments (TMT) have been extensively used as a key method to improve the mechanical properties of different metallic materials over the last decades. These treatments are usually involving with grain refinement through a combination of hot working and thermal treatments. Understanding the different phenomena that determine the finer microstructure of deformed material is an important aspect of TMT studies. These phenomena can control the microstructure and properties of the material during and following the deformation. Dynamic recrystallization is one important mechanism that is observed during TMT of material over a wide range of deformation conditions. This process usually leads to an improvement in the mechanical properties of deformed material by refining the grain size. However, in industrial applications, this process is generally accompanied by a post deformation recrystallization (static or post dynamic) mechanism during cooling or in the deformation intervals.