Strength of ultrafine-grained corrosion-resistant steels after severe plastic deformation

Abstract

It is shown that severe plastic deformation of corrosion resistant Cr–Ni austenitic steels leads to formation of the nano and submicrocrystalline structure. After high-pressure torsion average grain size of about 50 nm is obtained, after equal channel angular pressing—generally oriented structure with separated grains (100–250 nm in size). The severe plastic deformation by both high-pressure torsion and equal channel angular pressing methods promotes the martensitic transformation. Structure of Cr–Ni austenitic steels obtained by severe plastic deformation exhibits a substantial strain hardening.