Effect of Thermomechanical Parameters on Σ3~n Grain Boundaries and Grain Boundary Networks of a New Superaustenitic Stainless Steel

Hot compression tests were conducted in a temperature range of 800--1100 ℃and strain rate range of 0. 1- 10 s^-1 using a Gleeble 3500 thermomechanical simulator to investigate the influence of hot deformation parameters （temperatures, strain rates and strains） on the grain boundary network evolution of a new grade Fe-Cr-Ni superaustenitic stainless steel. The results showed that a dominant effect of deformed temperature is ∑3^n （n = 0, 1, 2, 3） boundaries population increased with decreasing temperature, while they first increased and then reduced with in- creasing strain and strain rate. Interestingly, besides E3n （n = 1, 2, 3） twin grain boundaries, some El boundaries could interrupt grain boundaries network effectively, which enhance material performances. But they are scarcely re- ported. The misorientation of some segments LAGBs in the deformed microstructure （pancaked grains） increased and slid to high angle grain boundaries with increasing the fraction of reerystallized grains during hot deformation.

Dependence of corrosion resistance on grain boundary characteristics in a high nitrogen CrMn austenitic stainless steel

Processing schedules for grain boundary engineering involving different types of cold deformation（tension, compression, and rolling） and annealing were designed and carried out for 18Mn18Cr0.6N high nitrogen austenitic stainless steel. The grain boundary characteristic distribution was obtained and characterized by electron backscatter diffraction（EBSD） analysis. The corrosion resistance of the specimens with different grain boundary characteristic distribution was examined by using potentiodynamic polarization test. The corrosion behavior of different types of boundaries after sensitization was also studied.The fraction of low-∑ boundaries decreased with increasing strain, and it was insensitive to the type of cold deformation when the engineering strain was lower than 20%. At the strain of 30%, the largest and smallest fractions of low-∑ boundaries were achieved in cold-tensioned and rolled specimens, respectively. The fraction of low-∑ boundaries increased exponentially with the increase of grain size. The proportion of low-∑ angle grain boundaries increased with decreasing grain size. Increasing the fraction of low-∑ boundaries could improve the pitting corrosion resistance for the steels with the same grain size.After sensitization, the relative corrosion resistances of low-∑ angle grain boundaries, ∑3 boundaries, and ∑9 boundaries were 100%, 95%, and 25%, respectively, while ∑27 boundaries, other low-∑ boundaries and random high-angle grain boundaries had no resistance to corrosion.

Improving Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking Resistance in a Fe–18Cr–17Mn–2Mo–0.85N Austenitic Stainless Steel Through Grain Boundary Character Distribution Optimization

The grain boundary character distribution(GBCD) optimization and its effect on the intergranular stress corrosion cracking(IGSCC) resistance in a cold-rolled and subsequently annealed Fe-18 Cr-17 Mn-2 Mo-0.85 N high-nitrogen nickel-free austenitic stainless steel were systematically explored.The results show that stacking faults and planar slip bands appearing at the right amount of deformation(lower than 10%) are beneficial cold-rolled microstructures to the GBCD optimization.The proportion of special boundaries gradually increases in the subsequent stages of recrystallization and grain growth,accompanying with the growth of twin-related domain in the experimental steel.In this way,the fraction of low ∑ coincidence site lattice(CSL) boundaries can reach as high as 82.85% for the specimen cold-rolled by 5% and then annealed at 1423 K for 72 h.After GBCD optimization,low ∑ CSL boundaries and the special triple junctions(J2,J3) of high proportion can greatly hinder the nitride precipitation along grain boundaries and enhance the capability for intergranular crack arrest,thus improving the IGSCC resistance of the experimental steel.