Hot Deformation Behavior and Processing Maps of Pure Copper during Isothermal Compression

In this study, pure copper’s hot deformation behavior was studied through isothermal compression tests at deformation temperatures of 350~750 °C with strain rates of 0.01~5 s(−1) on a Gleeble-3500 isothermal simulator. Metallographic observation and microhardness measurement were carried out of the hot compressed specimens. By analyzing the true stress–strain curves of pure copper under various deformation conditions during the hot deformation process, the constitutive equation was established based on the strain-compensated Arrhenius model. On the basis of the dynamic material model proposed by Prasad, the hot-processing maps were acquired under different strains. Meanwhile, the effect of deformation temperature and strain rate on the microstructure characteristics was studied by observing the hot-compressed microstructure. The results demonstrate that the flow stress of pure copper has positive strain rate sensitivity and negative temperature correlation. The average hardness value of pure copper has no obvious change trend with the strain rate. The flow stress can be predicted with excellent accuracy via the Arrhenius model based on strain compensation. The suitable deforming process parameters for pure copper were determined to be at a deformation temperature range of 700~750 °C and strain rate range of 0.1~1 s(−1).