Analysis of tensile flow and work hardening behavior of Zr-2.5 Nb alloy in the framework of Kocks—Mecking approach

摘要: High-temperature tensile tests were carried out on Zr-2.5Nb alloy in the temperature range of 298–873 K for both longitudinal and transverse specimen directions. Kocks-Mecking (K-M) approach was used to analyze the tensile flow and work-hardening nature of this alloy. The graph of instantaneous work hardening rate (θ = dσ/dε, where true stress is denoted by σ and true plastic strain by ε) with stress exhibited two-stage strain hardening behavior at all temperatures. The graph of θ vs σ and the variation in the parameters of strain hardening displayed three temperature zones, with a plateau region in 473–573 K. A fairly good correlation was achieved between the strain hardening parameters measured with the K-M method and the Voce equation at the above-mentioned temperature range.