Influence of rolling temperature on structure, phase composition and mechanical properties of austenitic steel Fe–17Cr–13Ni–3Mo

Abstract

We investigated the effect of temperature of plain rolling on structural peculiarities, phase composition and mechanical properties of austenitic steel (Fe–17Cr–13Ni–3Mo–0.01C, wt %, 316L-type). Plain rolling of steel Fe–17Cr–13Ni–3Mo provides a fragmentation of initial grain structure, formation of a high density of twin boundaries, slip dislocation and shear bands, and increases steel strength properties. Decrease in the deformation temperature increases the density of twin boundaries and causes an additional hardening effect. The plastic deformation at room temperature does not produce a substantial volume fraction of ε-martensite and does not go with the γ–α’-martensitic transformation. Plain rolling of specimens with interpass cooling to 77 K is accompanied by γ–ε, γ–α’-phase transformations, but their volume fraction is small (<5% each). The lower rolling temperature provides higher strength properties in steel.