Isothermal Martensitic Transformation in a Sensitized SUS304 Stainless Steel under Magnetic Field

We have investigated effect of magnetic field at cryogenic temperature on the stability of austenitic phase in a sensitized SUS304 stainless steel. The sensitization of the steel was made by heat-treatment in vacuum at 973 K for 100h after the solution treatment at 1323 K for 0.5 h. Isothermal holding of the sensitized specimens was made under a static magnetic field of 5 T in the temperature range between 60 and 260 K for various holding times. As a result, the TTT diagram under the magnetic field corresponding to the formation of 0.5 vol. % of -martensite shows a double-C curve with two noses. We found that by the application of magnetic field, the nose temperature and the incubation time of upper part of the C-curve, that is due to the    transformation, become lower and shorter, respectively. On the other hand, the nose temperature of lower part of the C-curve, that is due to the      transformation, does not change under the magnetic field although the incubation time shortens by the application of magnetic field.