In‐situ Synchrotron XRD Analysis of the Effect of Static Strain Aging on the Elasto‐plastic Transition in CMnSi TRIP Steel

In situ synchrotron X‐ray diffraction was used to investigate the martensitic transformation kinetics, lattice straining and diffraction peak broadening in cold‐rolled TRIP steel during tensile testing. Direct evidence of stress‐strain partitioning between different phases, dislocation pinning and differences in yielding behaviour of the different phases were clearly observed. The TRIP steel was subjected to a bake‐hardening treatment and a pronounced static strain aging effect was observed. In the present work, the martensitic transformation kinetics and the elastic micro‐strain evolution for both ferrite and retained austenite during the elasto‐plastic transition are reported with an emphasis on bake‐hardening with and without pre‐straining.