Deformation induced martensite in an AISI 301LN stainless steel: characterization and influence on pitting corrosion resistance

Abstract

In austenitic stainless steels, plastic deformation can induce martensite formation. The induced martensite is related to the austenite (gamma) instability at temperatures close or below room temperature. The metastability of austenite stainless steels increases with the decreasing of stacking fault energy (SFE). In this work, the deformation induced martensite was analyzed by X ray diffraction, electron back scatter diffraction (EBSD), magnetic methods and atomic force microscope (AFM) in samples of a low SFE austenitic stainless steel, AISI 301LN and compared with a medium SFE stainless steel, AISI 316L. Both techniques, X ray diffraction and EBSD, presented similar quantities for the alpha’-martensite. Texture results indicate that the crystallographic orientation of the formed alpha’-martensite is {001} and {103}. The morphology of alpha’-martensite was analyzed by AFM. Corrosion tests showed that deformation reduces pitting corrosion and generalized corrosion resistance in both steels.

Keywords

• corrosion
• austenitic stainless steel
• induced martensite