Microstructures and mechanical properties of cast austenite stainless steels after long-term thermal aging at low temperature

The cast austenite stainless steels were investigate in order to understand the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties in the long-term thermal aging at 400 °C for up to 20,000 h. Spinodal decomposition and G-phase precipitation in ferrite after long-term thermal aging lead to the degradation of mechanical properties. Ferrite hardness increases with aging time, but the austenite hardness does not change. Tensile strength is not strongly affected by aging time, but the plasticity has a significant decrease after long-term aging. Under impact with high strain rate, the ferrite phases deform by the way of deformation twinning. High stress concentration on the phase boundaries cause the phase boundary separating and the austenite’s tearing off.