Electroplasticity effects in Haynes 230

Abstract Electrically-assisted forming has the potential to reduce the cost of hot working Haynes 230 by enabling better material utilization, shorter cycle times and lower energy costs. In this paper, we investigate the presence of an electroplastic effect in Haynes 230 through electrically-assisted and isothermal tensile testing, thermomechanical simulation and microstructural characterization. Experimental results show discernable reductions in yield strength and elongation between a purely thermal response and an electrically-activated thermal response across the space of parameters studied. Evidence of a “rapid aging” effect during the electrically-assisted pulling of Haynes 230 is demonstrated via microstructural characterization. Results suggest that in Haynes 230, localized joule heating is brought on by electron-ion collisions which leads to fast precipitation of solutionized elements that increase subsequent flow stresses compared to an equivalent purely-thermal response without the application of electric current.