Abstract
The dynamic softening mechanisms of AISI 316, AISI 304 and AISI 430 stainless steels were studied with torsion test in the temperature range of $900 - 1200^{\circ}C$ and the strain rate range of $5.0x10^{-2}-5.0x10^0/sec$. The austenitic stainless steels, such as AISI 316 and AISI 304 were softened by dynamic recrystallization (DRX) during hot deformation. Also, the evolutions of flow stress and microstructure of AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel show the characteristics of continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX). To establish the quantitative equations for DRX of AISI 316 stainless steel, the evolution of flow stress curve with strain was analyzed. The critical strain (${\varepsilon}_c$) and strain for maximum softening rate (${\varepsilon}^{*}$) could be confirmed by the analysis of work hardening rate ($d{\sigma}/d{\varepsilon}={\theta}$). The volume fraction of dynamic recrystallization ($X_{DRX}$) as a function of processing variables, such as strain rate ( $\varepsilon$ ), temperature (T), and strain ( $\varepsilon$ ) were established using the ${\epsilon}_c$ and ${\varepsilon}^{*}$. For the exact prediction the ${\varepsilon}_c,\;{\varepsilon}^{*}$ and Avrami' exponent (m') were quantitatively expressed by dimensionless parameter, Z/A, respectively. It was found that the calculated results were agreed with the experimental data for the steels at my deformation conditions. Also, we can reasonably conclude that the DRX, CDRX and grain refinement of stainless steels can be achieved by large strain deformation at high Z parameter condition.