Study on the Deformation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Lightweight Economic Stainless Steels with Varying Al and Mn Contents

In order to reduce the density and alloy cost of austenitic stainless steel, this study designed Fe-0.35C-12Cr-5Ni-(0,2,4)Al-(6,10)Mn (wt.%) stainless steels with different Al and Mn contents. The effects of Al and Mn contents on the microstructure, deformation behavior, and mechanical properties we...

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Main Authors: Nuoteng Xu, Guanghui Chen, Qi Zhang, Haijiang Hu, Guang Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-4494/9/7/206
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author Nuoteng Xu
Guanghui Chen
Qi Zhang
Haijiang Hu
Guang Xu
author_facet Nuoteng Xu
Guanghui Chen
Qi Zhang
Haijiang Hu
Guang Xu
author_sort Nuoteng Xu
collection DOAJ
description In order to reduce the density and alloy cost of austenitic stainless steel, this study designed Fe-0.35C-12Cr-5Ni-(0,2,4)Al-(6,10)Mn (wt.%) stainless steels with different Al and Mn contents. The effects of Al and Mn contents on the microstructure, deformation behavior, and mechanical properties were investigated using microstructural analyses, quasi-static tensile tests, and Charpy impact tests. The results showed that an increase in Al content led to the formation of austeniteferrite duplex microstructure, while an increase in Mn content reduced the ferrite fraction. In the Al-free steel, the deformation mechanism was deformation-induced α′-martensitic transformation. When the Al content increased to 2 wt.%, the deformation mechanism was primarily mechanical twinning due to the increased stacking fault energy caused by Al. This resulted in a lower tensile strength but better toughness. When the Al content was further increased to 4 wt.%, the proportion of mechanical twinning decreased. The presence of ferrite led to cleavage at the fracture surface. The cleavage fracture explained the low elongation and toughness of duplex stainless steels. However, the elongation and toughness were enhanced with the increase in Mn content.
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publisher MDPI AG
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series Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing
spelling doaj-art-11fc718eb47b4d008fdad707ff66f6c32025-08-20T03:58:26ZengMDPI AGJournal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing2504-44942025-06-019720610.3390/jmmp9070206Study on the Deformation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Lightweight Economic Stainless Steels with Varying Al and Mn ContentsNuoteng Xu0Guanghui Chen1Qi Zhang2Haijiang Hu3Guang Xu4State Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Refractories and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, ChinaIn order to reduce the density and alloy cost of austenitic stainless steel, this study designed Fe-0.35C-12Cr-5Ni-(0,2,4)Al-(6,10)Mn (wt.%) stainless steels with different Al and Mn contents. The effects of Al and Mn contents on the microstructure, deformation behavior, and mechanical properties were investigated using microstructural analyses, quasi-static tensile tests, and Charpy impact tests. The results showed that an increase in Al content led to the formation of austeniteferrite duplex microstructure, while an increase in Mn content reduced the ferrite fraction. In the Al-free steel, the deformation mechanism was deformation-induced α′-martensitic transformation. When the Al content increased to 2 wt.%, the deformation mechanism was primarily mechanical twinning due to the increased stacking fault energy caused by Al. This resulted in a lower tensile strength but better toughness. When the Al content was further increased to 4 wt.%, the proportion of mechanical twinning decreased. The presence of ferrite led to cleavage at the fracture surface. The cleavage fracture explained the low elongation and toughness of duplex stainless steels. However, the elongation and toughness were enhanced with the increase in Mn content.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-4494/9/7/206stainless steellightweightdeformation mechanismmechanical propertiesfracture surface
spellingShingle Nuoteng Xu
Guanghui Chen
Qi Zhang
Haijiang Hu
Guang Xu
Study on the Deformation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Lightweight Economic Stainless Steels with Varying Al and Mn Contents
Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing
stainless steel
lightweight
deformation mechanism
mechanical properties
fracture surface
title Study on the Deformation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Lightweight Economic Stainless Steels with Varying Al and Mn Contents
title_full Study on the Deformation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Lightweight Economic Stainless Steels with Varying Al and Mn Contents
title_fullStr Study on the Deformation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Lightweight Economic Stainless Steels with Varying Al and Mn Contents
title_full_unstemmed Study on the Deformation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Lightweight Economic Stainless Steels with Varying Al and Mn Contents
title_short Study on the Deformation Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Lightweight Economic Stainless Steels with Varying Al and Mn Contents
title_sort study on the deformation behavior and mechanical properties of lightweight economic stainless steels with varying al and mn contents
topic stainless steel
lightweight
deformation mechanism
mechanical properties
fracture surface
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-4494/9/7/206
work_keys_str_mv AT nuotengxu studyonthedeformationbehaviorandmechanicalpropertiesoflightweighteconomicstainlesssteelswithvaryingalandmncontents
AT guanghuichen studyonthedeformationbehaviorandmechanicalpropertiesoflightweighteconomicstainlesssteelswithvaryingalandmncontents
AT qizhang studyonthedeformationbehaviorandmechanicalpropertiesoflightweighteconomicstainlesssteelswithvaryingalandmncontents
AT haijianghu studyonthedeformationbehaviorandmechanicalpropertiesoflightweighteconomicstainlesssteelswithvaryingalandmncontents
AT guangxu studyonthedeformationbehaviorandmechanicalpropertiesoflightweighteconomicstainlesssteelswithvaryingalandmncontents