The austenite microstructure evolution in a duplex stainless steel subjected to hot deformation

The austenite microstructure evolution and softening processes have been studied in a 23Cr-6Ni-3Mo duplex stainless steel, comprising equal fractions of austenite and ferrite, deformed in uniaxial compression at 1000 degrees C using strain rates of 0.1 and 10 s(-1). The texture and microstructure evolution within austenite was similar in character for both the strain rate used. The observed large-scale subdivision of austenite grains/islands into complex-shaped deformation bands, typically separated by relatively wide transition regions, has been attributed to the complex strain fields within this phase. Organised, self-screening microband arrays were locally present within austenite and displayed a crystallographic character for a wide range of austenite orientations. The microband boundaries were aligned with the traces of {1 1 1} slip planes containing slip systems having high, although not necessarily the highest possible, Schmid factors. The slightly lower mean intercept length and higher mean misorientation obtained for the sub-boundaries at the higher strain rate can be ascribed to the expected more restricted dynamic recovery processes compared to the low strain rate case. Dynamic recrystallisation within austenite was extremely limited and mainly occurred via the straininduced migration of the distorted original twin boundaries, followed by the formation of multiple twinning chains.