Phase Transformation and Annealing Behavior of SUS 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel Deformed by High Pressure Torsion

SUS 304 austenitic stainless steel was subjected to severe plastic deformation (SPD) by the method of high pressure torsion (HPT). From a fully austenitic matrix (γ), HPT resulted in phase transformation to give a two phase structure of austenite (γ) and martensite (α') by the transformation γα'. The phase transformation was accompanied by an increase in hardness (Hv) from 1.6 GPa in the as annealed form to 5.4 GPa in the deformed state. Subsequent annealing in temperature range 250oC to 450oC resulted in an increase in both α' volume fraction and hardness (6.4 GPa). Annealing at 600oC resulted in a decrease in α' volume fraction hardness.