AbstractThe hot deformation behaviour of polycrystalline nickel has been characterised in the temperature range 750–1200°C and strain rate range 0·0003–100 s−1using processing maps developed on the basis of the dynamic materials model. The efficiency of power dissipation, given by [2m/(m+1)], where m is the strain rate sensitivity, is plotted as a function of temperature and strain rate to obtain a processing map. A domain of dynamic recrystallisation has been identified, with a peak efficiency of 31% occurring at 925°C and 1 s−1. The published results are in agreement with the predictions of the processing map. The variations of efficiency of power dissipation with temperature and strain rate in the dynamic recrystallisation domain are identical to the corresponding variations of hot ductility. The stress–strain curves exhibited a single peak in the dynamic recrystallisation domain, whereas multiple peaks and‘drooping’stress–strain curves were observed at lower and higher strain rates, respectively. The results are explained on the basis of a simple model which considers dynamic recrystallisation in terms of rates of interface formation (nucleation) and migration (growth). It is shown that dynamic recrystallisation in nickel is controlled by the rate of nucleation, which is slower than the rate of migration. The rate of nucleation itself depends on the process of thermal recovery by climb, which in turn depends on self-diffusion.MST/1524