REVIEW ON EFFECT OF STRAIN RATE ON MICROSTRUCTURE AND FAILURE BEHAVIOUR OF 18-8 AUSTENITIC STAINLESS STEEL

AISI 304 austenitic stainless steel containing ˜18 wt. % Cr and 8 wt. % Ni, commonly termed as 18-8 stainless steel is a popular choice as the material for protection against corrosion, oxidation and creep in process industries. However, strain rate during processing has a pronounced effect on the tensile behaviour, fracture characteristics and corrosion resistance of the formed component. The effect of strain rate is manifested at microstructural level in altered deformation mechanisms. At slower strain rates such as 10-4 s -1 , there is extensive TRIP effect, that is deformation induced austenite-to-martensite phase transformation leading to enhanced tensile strength and ductility.