The influence of temperature on deformation-induced martensitic transformation in 301 stainless steel

Deformation-induced martensitic transformations are increasingly being used to create desirable mechanical properties in steels. Here, the kinetics of the deformation-induced martensitic transformation is investigated at 300, 263, 223, 173 and 100 K using in situ neutron diffraction during tensile loading. The results from these experiments show a distinct change in the transformation behaviour between 300 K and the tests conducted at 263 K and below, causing a difference in martensite structure. The difference in transformation kinetics is correlated to the suppression of slip at low temperatures, as evidenced using diffraction peak intensity analysis for different grain families and corroborated using transmission electron microscopy. A direct correlation between the deformation-induced martensite fraction and the work-hardening rate is shown.