Stress-Strain Rate Relations in Ultrahigh Carbon Steels Deformed in the Ferrite Range of Temperature

The stress-strain rate relations in ultrahigh carbon steels (UHCSs) have been analyzed at high temperatures in the ferrite range where dislocation slip is the principal deformation mechanism. Specifically, the present investigation centers on the factors influencing the strength of UHCS in the ferrite range of 500 to 700 C and in the strain rate range of 10{sup -3} to 10{sup 3} s{sup -1}. These steels contain iron carbide as a second phase either in the form of spheroidite or pearlite and vary in the grain size according to the processing history. The new variables that need to be taken into account are the effect of ferromagnetism and its change with temperature on the creep strength of the ferritic UHCSs. Recent studies have shown that ferromagnetism strongly influences the lattice and dislocation pipe diffusion coefficient and the elastic modulus of iron in the ferrite range of temperature. These variables are shown to influence the creep strength of ferrite-base steels and explain the high activation energies that are observed in many of the ferritic UHCSs.