Tensile Tests on Stainless Steels in Temperature Range

In real conditions, austenitic stainless steels solidify in non equilibrium and a two phases microstructure of austenite and ferrite is formed 1 . The aim of this work was to investigate the behaviour of both phases at tensile testing, especially to find out an eventual difference in the relaxation of the deformation energy and the effect of the two phases microstructure in workability. To achieve these goals, it was necessary to determine also the effect of annealing temperature and time on the share and shape of both phases in the microstructure. For experimental work the industrial steels AISI 316L, SS2343, X2CrNiMo 17-12-3 and X2CrNiMo 18-14-3 were used. These steels have by prescribed chemical composition a similar contents of base elements and f.i. all four steels have a content of chromium in the range of 16,5 % to 18 %, nickel of 10 % and 13 % in molybdenum between 2 % and 3 %.