Deformation Microstructure and Deformation-Induced Martensite in Austenitic Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys Depending on Stacking Fault Energy

Abstract

Abstract The deformation microstructure of austenitic Fe-18Cr-(10-12)Ni (wt pct) alloys with low stacking fault energies, estimated by first-principles calculations, was investigated after cold rolling. The ɛ -martensite was found to play a key role in the nucleation of α ′-martensite, and at low SFE, ɛ formation is frequent and facilitates nucleation of α ′ at individual shear bands, whereas shear band intersections become the dominant nucleation sites for α ′ when SFE increases and mechanical twinning becomes frequent.