Effects of Electropulsing on the Microstructure Evolution of 316L Stainless Steel

Abstract:

Thermal crack initiation and pitting corrosion are frequently caused by the formation of the secondary phases such as sigma phase, delta-ferrite phase, carbides and secondary austenite phase in steel. Traditionally, heat treatment is used to minimize these detrimental effects of the secondary phases. In this study, we have applied pulse to the 316L stainless steel and observed the considerable effects. In comparison to the heat treatment, the electropulsing can effectively suppress the precipitation of the secondary phases in a temperature range (1161 K–1173 K). Austenite grain size becomes larger under electropulsing compared to the heat treatment at annealing temperatures due to enhanced interface migration. The kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of electropulsing can be used to explain the effects of electropulsing on the evolution of microstructure for 316L stainless steel.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 922)
• Pages: 441-445
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.922.441
• Online since: May 2014
• Authors: Wen Jun Lu*, Rong Shan Qin
• Keywords: 316L Stainless Steel, Electropulsing Treatment, Grain Coarsening, Secondary Phases

References

[1] C.H. Chun, M.S. Chun, Y.S. Yea, H.J.S. Lin, S.C. Mau, J.L. Shing, Effect of surface oxide properties on corrosion resistance of 316L stainless steel for biomedical applications, Corrosion. Sci. 46 (2004) 427-441.

DOI: 10.1016/s0010-938x(03)00148-3

[2] Bhadeshia HKDH, Honeycombe RWK. Steels Microstructure and Properties, 3rd ed. Elsevier B.V.; 2004, pp.259-274.

[3] C.H. Chih, W. Weite, Overview of Intermetallic Sigma (σ) Phase Precipitation in Stainless Steels, ISRN Metallurgy, 2012 (2012) 1-16.

DOI: 10.5402/2012/732471

[4] D.N. Wasnik, G.K. Dey, V. Kain, I. Samajdar, Precipitation stages in a 316L austentic stainless steel, Scripta Mater. 49 (2003) 135-141.

DOI: 10.1016/s1359-6462(03)00220-3

[5] H. Conrad, Effects of electric current on solid state phase transformations in metals, Mater. Sci. Eng. A. 287 (2000) 227–237.

[6] Y. Jiang, G. Tang, C. Shek, Y. Zhu, Z. Xu, On the thermodynamics and kinetics of electropulsing induced dissolution of β-Mg17Al12 phase in an aged Mg–9Al–1Zn alloy, Acta Mater. 57 (2009) 4797–4808.

DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2009.06.044

[7] O. Conejero, M. Palacios, S. Rivera, Premature corrosion failure of a 316L stainless steel plate due to the presence of sigma phase, Eng. Failure. Analysis. 16 (2009) 699-704.

DOI: 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2008.06.022

[8] T.J. Koppenaal, C.R. Simcoe, The effect of electric current on the ageing of an Al-4 Pct Cu alloy, Trans. Met. Soc. AIME. 227 (1963) 615–618.

[9] R.S. Qin, E.I. Samuel, A. Bhowmik, Electropulse-induced cementite nanoparticle formation in deformed pearlitic steels, J. Mater. Sci. 46 (2011) 2838–2842.

DOI: 10.1007/s10853-010-5155-3

[10] P. Ho, T. Kwok, Electromigration in metals, Rep. Prog. Phys. 52 (1989) 301.

[11] D. Zhang, S. To, Y.H. Zhu, H. Wang, G.Y. Tang, Dynamic Electropulsing Induced Phase Transformations and Their Effects on Single Point Diamond Turning of AZ91 Alloy, J. Sur. Eng. Mater. Adv. Tech. 2 (2012) 16-21.

DOI: 10.4236/jsemat.2012.21003