Electrically Assisted Tensile Behavior of Complex Phase Ultra-High Strength Steel

Abstract

The quasi-static tensile electroplasticity of 1180CP ultra-high strength steels (UHSS) is experimentally investigated. A single pulse of electric current with a short duration less than 0.5 sec is applied to the specimen under tensile plastic loading. The experimental result shows that flow stress of the UHSS nearly instantly drops at moment of electric current, followed by strain hardening until necking of the specimen. Empirical models to describe the instantaneous stress-drop without effect of thermal expansion at the electric current and the hardening behavior after electric current are suggested as functions of applied electric energy density.