Comparative evaluation of microstructure, texture evolution and tensile properties of UNS S32101 duplex stainless steel during different rolling processes

ABSTRACT A comparative evaluation of microstructure, texture evolution, and tensile properties of S32101 duplex stainless steels (DSSs) fabricated via conventional-process rolling (CPR) and short-process rolling (SPR) was conducted. The results indicated that strain-induced martensite transformation (SIMT) was more pronounced during CPR process. As increasing thickness reduction, ferrite in the CPR process was dominated by α-fiber texture accompanied by a persistent Rt-C component, while the γ-fiber texture formation was associated with extensive SIMT. Austenite texture gradually shifted toward Goss/Brass component. Upon annealing, the reverse transformation of martensite to austenite weakened the γ-fiber texture, and ferrite was constituted by α-fiber texture. In contrast, increasing deformation in the SPR process promoted a transition from α-fiber to γ-fiber texture and effectively eliminated the detrimental Rt-C component within the ferrite, while the Goss orientation evolved into the strongest component in the austenite. After annealing, the ferrite inherited the beneficial γ-fiber texture. At 1000∼1100 °C, the SPR annealed samples exhibited total elongation of 45.6±2.2%∼53.8±2.5%, higher than the maximum value of 39.7±2.6% for CPR annealed samples. Ultimate tensile strength of CPR annealed samples reached 801.1±13.0∼862.7±15.4 MPa, slightly superior to that of SPR annealed samples (765.7±14.1∼ 810.5±15.9 MPa).