Effect of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of duplex stainless steel

Present study concerns the effect of deformation and heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of a duplex stainless steel. While hot rolling causes the coarse distribution of the constituent phases (ferrite and austenite), 50% cold rolling results into the elongated and splintered two — phase structure. Supersaturated ferrite structure established by water quenching from 1300°C results into the strengthening due to the formation of fine dispersed austenite precipitates within ferrite grain after isothermal heat treatment (1000°C, 0.5 hour). Duplex structure consisting of ferrite and austenite in a fine-grained form is obtained after isothermal heat treatment of cold rolled sample. Cold deformed and heat treated steel exhibits best combination of strength and ductility among all the investigated steel samples.