Carbide precipitation and chromium depletion on coherent twin boundaries in deformed 304 stainless steels

Abstract

Coherent annealing-twin boundaries are constant structure and energy interfaces with an average interfacial free energy of ∼19mJ/m2 versus ∼210 and ∼835mJ/m2 for incoherent twins and “regular” grain boundaries respectively in 304 stainless steels (SS). Due to their low energy, coherent twins form carbides about a factor of 100 slower than grain boundaries, and limited work has also shown differences in Cr-depletion (sensitization) between twin versus grain boundaries. Plastic deformation, may, however, alter the kinetics and thermodynamics of twin-sensitization which is not well understood. The objective of this work was to understand the mechanisms of carbide precipitation and Cr-depletion on coherent twin boundaries in deformed SS. The research is directed toward using this invariant structure and energy interface to understand and model the role of interfacial characteristics on deformation-induced sensitization in SS. Carbides and Cr-depletion were examined on a 20%-strain, 0.051%C-304SS, heat treated to 625°C-4.5h, as described elsewhere.