Deformation Induced Phase Transformation of 304L Stainless Steel and its Structural Characterization

Abstract

This report aims to examine deformation induced phase transformation in 304L stainless steel up on compressive loading at room temperature of 300K. For this, compression tests were carried out using specimens of varying length to diameter ratios. To avoid effects of any friction, teflon tapes were use at the specimen platen interfaces. The results indicate that homogenous deformation takes place up to 15% of total compressive engineering strain. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopic studies indicate that metastable austenite transforms to martensite due to compressive loading. “The volume fraction of martensite increases with increase in percentage of deformation.” Post deformation hardness also increases monotonically. Nature of homogenous deformation also gets reduced due to prevailing friction at the interfaces. In the course of the study, the amounts of particular phase fractions have also been calculated from the integrated intensity of XRD results. The results are then correlated with the extent of deformation in the respective samples and the behavior is compared as-against tensile loading conditions.