In Situ Observation for Deformation-Induced Martensite Transformation during Tensile Deformation of SUS 304 Stainless Steel by Using Neutron Diffraction PART II: Transformation and Texture Formation Mechanisms

Abstract

Herein, the texture developments of γ austenite, ε martensite, and α’ martensite during the tensile deformation of SUS 304 stainless steel were observed by using the in situ neutron diffraction technique. Combined with the microstructure and local orientations measured by electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), the mechanisms involved in the deformation-induced martensite transformation (DIMT) in the SUS 304 stainless steel were examined based on the neutron diffraction results. The results revealed that the ε martensite inherited the texture of the γ austenite, that is, their main components could be connected by Shoji–Nishiyama orientation relationship. The variant selection was qualitatively evaluated based on the Schmid factors of the {111}⟨2¯11⟩ slip systems. The results revealed that the ε→α’ transformation occurred easily in the steel sample. Consequently, the volume fraction of the α’ martensite phase observed by EBSD was higher than that observed by neutron diffraction. In addition, at a true strain of 0.42, a packet structure consisting of two α’ martensite variants was observed in the steel sample. However, the original orientation of the variants did not correspond to the main components in the γ or ε phases. This suggests that the two α’ martensite variants were transformed directly from the lost component of the γ matrix. These results indicate that the γ→ε→α’ DIMT was first activated in the steel sample, after which the γ→α’ DIMT was activated at the later stage of deformation.