Deformation Behavior and Microstructural Evolution of Zr–Sn–Nb–Fe Alloy over a Wide Temperature Range Based on the Law of Mixture

Abstract

Isothermal compression experiments are conducted on Zr–Sn–Nb–Fe alloy at temperature ranging from 873 to 1273 K and strain rates ranging from 0.01 to 1 s−1. The deformation behavior and microstructure evolution are analyzed. The results show that the influence of α phase on the flow stress is more significant than β phase, which shows a stronger phase sensitivity. At low strain rates in the α phase temperature region (873 K), the dominant softening mechanism is dynamic recovery, while at high strain rates, it is controlled by dynamic recrystallization. The dual‐phase temperature region (973–1173 K) undergoes the dynamic recrystallization of α and α→β phase transformation. The dynamic recrystallization of β occurs in the β phase temperature region (1213–1273 K). Finally, by considering the phase composition and phase sensitivity differences, a unified constitutive model of N36 zirconium alloy from 873 to 1273 K is established whose absolute relative error is 7% and R is 0.9906.