Abstract In this thesis, the influence of reversion and recrystallization annealing on microstructure and mechanical properties was studied in metastable austenitic low-Ni high-Mn stainless steels, some alloyed with up to 0.45 wt.% Nb. Further, the effect of the various microstructures created by reversion and recrystallization on strain-induced martensite transformation in tensile testing was investigated. The aim was to achieve excellent combinations of strength and ductility in the steels and to improve understanding of the behaviour of ultrafine-grained austenitic stainless steels during deformation. All the steels were cold-rolled up to 60% thickness reduction producing up to 60% strain-induced α’-martensite in the austenitic structure. Annealing was carried out using a Gleeble thermomechanical simulator between 450–1100 °C for durations of 0.1–1000 s. The resultant microstructures were examined using different research equipment and methods. Regardless of the amount of Nb alloying, shear- and diffusion-controlled reversion could be completed by annealing at 700 °C, although at this temperature no recrystallization of the untransformed cold-rolled austenite occurred. At 800 °C, however, the cold-rolled austenite recrystallized, producing a non-uniform grain structure comprising ultrafine-grained areas formed via reversion and coarser ones formed by recrystallization of the retained austenite. At 900 °C, a uniform fine austenite grain size of about 2 μm was obtained. At higher annealing temperatures of 1000–1100 °C, normal grain growth of fine grains took place during prolonged annealing in steel with no Nb. However, grain growth was effectively retarded by alloying with 0.28 wt.% Nb. The non-uniform structures consisting of reverted and retained austenite exhibited excellent combinations of yield strength and uniform elongation. The results also showed that tensile strain-induced martensite nucleation sites and α’-martensite formation vary in a complex way depending on grain size. / Tiivistelmä Väitöstyössä tutkittiin reversiohehkutuksen vaikutusta metastabiilin 1% nikkeliä ja 9% mangaania sisältävien austeniittisten ruostumattomien terästen mikrorakenteeseen ja mekaanisiin ominaisuuksiin sekä austeniitin raekoon ja mikrorakenteen vaikutusta muokkausmartensiitin syntyyn vetokokeessa. Koeteräksistä osa oli lisäksi niobiseostettuja. Tavoitteena oli nostaa teräksien lujuutta ja ymmärtää ultrahienorakeisen austeniittisten ruostumattomien terästen käyttäytymistä muokkauksessa. Teräkset kylmämuokattiin 60% valssausreduktiolla, jolloin austeniittiseen rakenteeseen muodostui muokkausmartensiittia enimmillään 60%. Reversiohehkutukset tehtiin Gleeble termomekaanisella simulaattorilla lämpötiloissa 450–1100 °C ja 0.1–1000 s pitoajoilla. Saatuja mikrorakenteita tutkittiin eri tutkimuslaitteistoilla ja -menetelmillä. 700 °C hehkutuksessa leikkautumalla ja diffuusion välityksellä tapahtuva reversio oli nopea myös niobi-seostetuilla teräksillä, mutta rekristallisaatiota ei tapahtunut. 800 °C hehkutuksessa muokkauksessa teräksiin jäänyt austeniitti rekristallisoitui, mutta raerakenne muodostui epätasaiseksi koostuen reversion tuottamasta ultrahienoista rakeista ja jäännösausteniitin rekristallisaation tuottamista karkeammista rakeista. Sitä vastoin hehkutus 900 °C:ssa tuotti tasainen 2 μm austeniitin raekoon. Pitkissä hehkutuksissa korkeammissa lämpötiloissa 1000–1100 °C niobi-seostamattomissa teräksissä tapahtui hienojen rakeiden normaalia rakeenkasvua. Kuitenkin 0.28p-% niobi-seostuksen havaittiin oleva riittävä estämään rakeenkasvu. Reversion ja osittaisen rekristallisaation tuottamilla raerakenteilla saatiin erinomaiset myötölujuus-tasavenymäyhdistelmät. Vetokokeissa martensiitin ydintymispaikat ja -nopeus vaihtelivat monimutkaisella tavalla raekoosta riippuen.

L’IASCC est un mécanisme de fissuration intergranulaire par corrosion sous contrainte (IGCSC) induite par l'irradiation. C’est un phénomène complexe qui peut avoir une influence significative sur le temps et le coût de maintenance des composants internes du coeur des réacteurs à eau pressurisée (REP) et est donc un sujet d'intérêt. Des études récentes ont proposé d'utiliser l'irradiation aux ions (protons) comme une alternative à l'irradiation neutronique afin d’améliorer la compréhension du mécanisme. L'objectif de cette thèse est d’étudier la sensibilité à la fissuration de l’acier austénitique SA 304L irradié aux ions ainsi que les facteurs contribuant à cette fissuration. Deux types d’irradiations aux ions ont été menées (fer et aux protons). Ces deux irradiations ont générées des défauts ponctuels dans la microstructure représentatifs de ceux crées par les neutrons provoquant ainsi le durcissement de l’acier austénitique 304L. Matériel (non irradié et le fer irradié) n'a montré aucune sensibilité à la fissuration intergranulaire sur la soumission à un essai de traction lente SSRT (Slow Strain Rate Test) commencer avec une vitesse de déformation de 5 × 10-8 s-1 jusqu'à 4% de déformation plastique dans un environnement inerte. Il est montré que les deux types d’irradiation aux ions (fer et protons) augmentent la sensibilité à la fissuration intergranulaire du matériau après un essai de SSRT dans un environnement simulé de REP à 340 ° C. La corrélation entre la sensibilité de fissuration et le degré de localisation de la déformation plastique a été étudiée. L’impact de l'irradiation aux ions fer sur l'oxydation du 304L a été aussi étudié grâce à des essais effectués pendant 360 h dans un milieu REP à 340 ° C. Les résultats de cette thèse indiquent que la fissuration intergranulaire de l'acier inoxydable 304L en milieu REP peut être étudiée en utilisant l'irradiation Fe malgré sa faible profondeur de pénétration dans le matériau. Par ailleurs, il est montré que le comportement vis-à-vis de la fissuration est similaire entre une irradiation aux protons et au fer, et ceux malgré une localisation de la déformation moins importante pour ces derniers. Par conséquent, l’irradiation au fer est utilisée pour étudier l'impact de la préparation de surface et des chemins de déformation sur la sensibilité de la fissuration intergranulaire de l’acier 304L. / IASCC is irradiation – assisted enhancement of intergranular stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of austenitic stainless steel. It is a complex degrading phenomenon which can have a significant influence on maintenance time and cost of PWRs’ core internals and hence, is an issue of concern. Recent studies have proposed using ion irradiation (to be specific, proton irradiation) as an alternative of neutron irradiation to improve the current understanding of the mechanism. The objective of this study was to investigate the cracking susceptibility of irradiated SA 304L and factors contributing to cracking, using two different ion irradiations; iron and proton irradiations. Both resulted in generation of point defects in the microstructure and thereby causing hardening of the SA 304L. Material (unirradiated and iron irradiated) showed no susceptibility to intergranular cracking on subjection to SSRT with a strain rate of 5 × 10-8 s-1 up to 4 % plastic strain in inert environment. But, irradiation (iron and proton) was found to increase intergranular cracking severity of material on subjection to SSRT in simulated PWR primary water environment at 340 °C. Correlation between the cracking susceptibility and degree of localization was studied. Impact of iron irradiation on bulk oxidation of SA 304L was studied as well by conducting an oxidation test for 360 h in simulated PWR environment at 340 °C. The findings of this study indicate that the intergranular cracking of 304L stainless steel in PWR environment can be studied using Fe irradiation despite its small penetration depth in material. Furthermore, it has been shown that the cracking was similar in both iron and proton irradiated samples despite different degrees of localization. Lastly, on establishing iron irradiation as a successful tool, it was used to study the impact of surface finish and strain paths on intergranular cracking susceptibility of the material.

Surface treatments used to improve the life of a material known as peening are already extensively used in industry. The main aim of peening is to introduce compressive resiudal stress to the surface and subsurface of a metallic material, however literature also includes a number of microstructural and mechanical effects that peening introduces to a material when the compressive residual stress is established. The aim of this dissertation is compare and contrast the mechanical and microstructural effects of a current industrial peening method called shot peening, with three new increasingly competitive surface treatments. These are laser shock peening, ultrasonic impact treatment and water jet cavitation peening. The surface finish, and changes in microstructure, hardness depth profile, residual stress depth profile and plastic work depth profile of the four surface treatments are analysed. The effect of the peening parameters on the material is also determined, such as length of time of treatment, shot size, step size, direction of treatment, and irradiance per centimetre squared. The effect of peening on the residual stress depth profile of a gas tungsten eight pass grooved weld is also determined. Welding is a known region of early failure of material, with one of the factors affecting this being the introduction of tensile residual stress to the surface and near surface of the weld. An analysis to determine if peening the welded region alters the residual stress was carried out. In all experiments in this dissertation, the material that was used was austenitic stainless steel, as this material is highly used, especially within the nuclear industry. The results of this dissertation show that different peening types and peenign parameters produce a variety of surface, microstructural and mechanical effects to austenitic stainless steel. Peening of an aaustenitic stainless steel welded region results in teh near surface tensile residual stress to alter to ccompressive residual stress.

Aços inoxidáveis austeníticos são materiais amplamente utilizados em sistemas que exigem elevadas resistências à oxidação e à corrosão. No entanto, quando em contato com outras superfícies, esses materiais possuem elevado coeficiente de atrito e baixa resistências ao desgaste. Uma alternativa para melhorar suas propriedades tribológicas é a utilização de lubrificantes sólidos adicionados em suas composições pela técnica de metalurgia do pó (M/P). Materiais como itria e boro têm se mostrado eficazes em melhorar as propriedades mecânicas e tribológicas de ligas Fe-Cr-Ni-Mo. Nesse contexto, o objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar o efeito da adição de boro e de itria na microestrutura e nas propriedades tribológicas de aços inoxidáveis austeníticos Fe-Cr-Ni-Mo obtidas por M/P. Foram preparadas amostras de 316L por M/P em quatro condições diferentes. Duas amostras, uma sem aditivo e outra com 0,6% p de boro adicionado à composição do 316L, foram processadas a pressão de compactação de 800 MPa e temperatura de sinterização de 1240°C. Além dessas, duas amostras, uma sem aditivo e outra com 1,0% p de itria adicionada à composição do 316L, foram processadas a pressão de compactação de 400 MPa e temperatura de sinterização de 1280°C. Determinou-se a composição química por espectrometria de emissão óptica, a microdureza Vickers, a microestrutura por MEV e EDS, o comportamento tribológico por ensaio de deslizamento alternado (coeficiente de atrito e coeficiente de desgaste específico) e por MEV e EDS (mecanismos de desgaste). Os resultados mostraram que a adição de boro aumenta significativamente a resistência ao desgaste dos materiais, devido à melhor densificação e à formação de fases duras (como boretos ricos em cromo e molibdênio) na sinterização. A adição de itria, mesmo com o aumento da dureza, diminui a resistência ao desgaste, pois dificultou a densificação devido a sua baixa interação com a matriz austenítica do material. O coeficiente de atrito se manteve em 0,8 para todos os materiais, o que indica que os aditivos não o influenciam e não atuam como lubrificantes sólidos. Os mecanismos de desgaste observados nas superfícies dos materiais desgastado foram os mecanismos por adesão e por reação triboquímica. / Austenitic stainless steel materials are widely used in systems that require high oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance. However, in contact with other surfaces, these materials show a high coefficient of friction and a low wear resistance. An alternative to improve their tribological properties is the use of solid lubricants added in their composition by the powder metallurgy technique (P/M). Materials such as yttria and boron have shown an effective role in improving the mechanical and tribological properties of Fe-Cr-Ni-Mo alloys. In this context, this study aims evaluating the effect of boron and yttria additions on the microstructure and tribological properties of austenitic stainless steels Fe-Cr-Ni-Mo obtained by P/M. Samples were prepared with 0.6 wt% boron and 1wt% yttria, using compaction pressures of 400 MPa and 800 MPa, sintering temperature 1240°C and 1280°C, in argon atmosphere. The materials were characterized by chemical analysis (optical emission spectrometry), Vickers hardness and microstructural analysis (SEM and EDS). The coefficient of friction and the wear rate of the materials were obtained by means of reciprocating sliding tests. The wear mechanisms were evaluated by SEM and EDS. The results showed that the boron addition significantly increases the wear resistance of the material, due to the improved densification and the formation of hard phases (such as chromium-rich borides and molybdenum-rich borides) during sintering. However, even though with the increased hardness, the yttria addition decreases the wear resistance, due to the not favouring of the densification and the low interaction of yttria particles with the austenitic matrix. The coefficient of friction for all materials was about 0.8, i.e., and it was not influenced by the presence of additives in the composition. The predominant mechanisms on the worn surfaces of the materials were the adhesive wear and the tribochemical reaction wear (wear by particles oxidation).

The thesis deals with austenitic stainless steel ČSN 42 2930, ASTM A351 CF8 and evaluates its mechanical and technological properties. The first part of this work is focused on properties of austenitic steels, it describes the process of melting and casting of steel on the basis of the realized experiments. It also deals with the mechanical properties of the used steel. The second section of the thesis is dedicated to the historical development of the maximum fluidity tests and main factors affecting the maximum fluidity of alloys. Maximum fluidity values have been processed on the basis of different casting temperatures of the maximum fluidity tests of the used steel. The third part of the work examines the effect of the casting temperature on the feeding distance of the used steel as well as the influence on its shrinkage rate.

Master‘s thesis deals with sawing of the thin-walled parts with high speed steel slitting saw. At first the most used conventional and unconventional possibilities of materiál cutting are described by a form of search. The next chapter describes forces arising from splitting saw machining, including their dependence on a specific cutting force, a chip cross section and a engagement angle. The second part of the thesis deals with the technological improvement of the cutting process, where three possible solutions are considered – geometry of the cutting tool, PVD coating deposition of the cutting tool and process fluid change. In the experimental part non coated slitting saw with burrs, non coated deburred slitting saw and coated slitting saws are compared. Used coatings were Ti(C,N), Cr-Al-Si-N, Al-Cr-B-N, and TripleCoating Cr, which is consisting of three layers TiN + (Al,Ti)N + Cr-Al-Si-N. The experiment has shown that the cutting forces inceases as the edge radius and wear level of the cutting tool increases. Coated cuttung tools has shown lower differences between the first and the last cut. Slitting saws have been also used in real cutting process to verify experimental results.

<p>U disertaciji je prikazan odabir rastvarača, veličine, vrste i udela čestica za aktivni premaz namenjen postizanju povećane dubine uvara na austenitnom nerđajućem čeliku pri zavarivanju netopljivom elektrodom u zaštiti inertnog gasa. Pored sastava aktivnog premaza, u disertaciji je izvršena optimizacija: geometrije elektrode, jačine struje i brzine zavarivanja. Nakon odabira perspektivnih tipova sastava premaza i parametara zavarivanja, na zavarenim uzorcima izvršena je karakterizacija mehaničkih osobina, hemijskog sastava i mikrostrukture.</p> / <p>In this doctoral thesis, the selection of solvent, size, type and the content of<br />oxide particles in activated flux aimed at increasing the penetration on<br />austenitic stainless steel in gas tungsten arc welding is presented. Besides<br />activated flux composition, the optimization of welding parameters such as<br />electrode geometry, welding current and welding speed was done. After the<br />selection of successful activated flux formulations and welding parameters,<br />the characterization of mechanical properties, chemical composition and<br />microstructure was determined.</p>

Laser beam cutting is an attractive and innovative manufacturing process which has many advantages compared to conventional cutting methods. However, with increasing workpiece thickness an increase of the roughness along the kerf surface can be observed, which, in turn, can negatively affect the mechanical properties, in particular the fatigue strength. In this context, the impact of laser cutting on fatigue behavior is discussed in this work. Specimens were cut out by disk laser from sheets with 2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm thickness made of metastable austenitic stainless steel type AISI 304. Fatigue specimens with different surface conditions were tested in order to separately evaluate the influence of the different kinds of macroscopic defects produced by the cutting process. Additionally, the notch effect sensitivity for different amounts of deformation-induced α'-martensite induced before cyclic tests was evaluated using a specific notch geometry. Furthermore, based on the fact that high frequency testing is performed in the present investigation, the likely influences of test frequency on material response must be considered. For this reason and because metastable austenitic stainless steels are well known for their strain rate sensitivity, the steel AISI 304 and the role of surface micro-defects produced by laser beam cutting were analyzed regarding the influence of load frequency on the cyclic response and fatigue behavior, and the findings of the investigation are thoroughly discussed in this work. Fatigue tests were performed at load frequencies of 100 Hz and 1,000 Hz using two resonance pulsation test systems, as well as by means of a servo-hydraulic test machine at 1 Hz and 50 Hz. Fractographic analyses served to evaluate the failure-relevant characteristics responsible for crack initiation. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy was used to assess the changes caused by laser cutting on the geometrical and microstructural features. The qualitative analyses of the cut kerf characteristics were accomplished by means of optical microscopy. The cyclic deformation behavior was characterized based on the evaluation of stress-strain hysteresis loops and temperature measurements. The deformation-induced phase transformation from γ-austenite to α'-martensite was globally and locally evaluated by means of magneto-inductive measurements and electron backscattered diffraction analysis, respectively. The analyses showed that laser beam cutting creates three kinds of defects, which are a pronounced relief-like structure along the cut surface, burr in the underside of the cut edge and pores in the interface between the recast layer and base material or inside the recast layer. As a consequence, the fatigue strength of parts cut by laser beam is around 40% lower in comparison to specimens in a macroscopically quasi defect-free state. The most significant reduction of fatigue life is attributed to the notch effect of the burr, followed by the notch effect created by pores for 4 mm and 6 mm thick specimens, while surprisingly the influence of the surface relief is of minor significance. An evaluation of the fatigue results based on comprehensive fractographic analyses allows to explain the reasons for distinct differences between the aforementioned influence factors. Furthermore, the notch sensitivity of the steel AISI 304 increases as the amount of α'-martensite formed prior to the cyclic experiments becomes higher. Moreover, the impact of test frequency on the cyclic deformation response, deformation-induced phase transformation and fatigue behavior was characterized as well as the role of surface micro-defects on the fatigue behavior as a function of test frequency was identified. The assessment showed that higher amounts of α'-martensite formation and lower plastic strain amplitudes were observed when the cyclic experiments were carried out at lower frequency, promoting higher fatigue strengths. However, the influence of test frequency for specimens containing surface micro-defects is dominant in the low cycle fatigue to high cycle fatigue regime, whereas in the high cycle fatigue and very high cycle fatigue range the fatigue life determining parameter is the severity of the micro-notches present along the laser cut surface. / Das Laserstrahlschneiden stellt ein innovatives Verfahren dar, welches im Vergleich zu konventionellen Schneid prozessen eine Vielzahl an Vorteilen aufweist, aber mit zunehmender Blechdicke auch den entscheidenden Nachteil der Zunahme der Oberflächenrauheit der Schnittkanten, was sich negativ auf die mechanische Festigkeit, insbesondere die Schwingfestigkeit, auswirken kann. Deswegen ist die Anwendung dieser Technik zur Herstellung von strukturellen Bauteilen aufgrund der Bildung ausgeprägter Oberflächenreliefs und dem Fehlen zuverlässiger Schwingfestigkeitsdaten begrenzt. In diesem Zusammenhang werden in dieser Arbeit die Auswirkungen des Laserschneidens auf das Ermüdungsverhalten diskutiert. Aus Blechen des metastabilen Austenitstahls AISI 304 mit Dicken von 2 mm, 4 mm und 6 mm wurden Proben mit Hilfe eines Scheibenlasers herausgeschnitten. Ermüdungsproben unterschiedlicher Oberflächenqualität wurden getestet, um den Einfluss der verschiedenen Arten von makroskopischen Defekten, die durch den Schneidprozess erzeugt wurden, separat zu bewerten. Zusätzlich wurde die Empfindlichkeit der Kerbwirkung bei unterschiedlichen Gehalten an verformungsinduziertem α'-Martensit, welcher vor den zyklischen Versuche erzeugt wurde, unter Verwendung einer spezifischen Kerbgeometrie ausgewertet. Außerdem, basierend auf der Tatsache, dass in der vorliegenden Untersuchung eine Hochfrequenzprüfung durchgeführt wurde, wurden der Stahl AISI 304 und die Rolle von Oberflächenmikrodefekten durch das Laserstrahlschneiden hinsichtlich des Frequenzeinflusses auf das zyklische Ansprechverhalten und Ermüdungsverhalten analysiert. Ermüdungsprüfungen wurden bei Frequenzen von 100 Hz und 1000 Hz unter Verwendung von zwei ähnlichen Resonanzpulsationstestsystemen, sowie mittels einer servohydraulischen Prüfmaschine bei 1 Hz und 50 Hz durchgeführt. Fraktographische Analysen dienten dazu, die für die Rissinitiierung verantwortlichen fehlerrelevanten Eigenschaften zu bewerten. Darüber hinaus wurde die Rasterelektronenmikroskopie verwendet, um die durch das Laserschneiden verursachten Veränderungen der geometrischen und mikrostrukturellen Eigenschaften zu bewerten. Die qualitativen Analysen der Schnittkanteneigenschaften wurden mittels optischer Mikroskopie durchgeführt. Das zyklische Verformungsverhalten wurde anhand der Auswertung von Spannungs-Dehnungs-Hystereseschleifen und Temperaturmessungen charakterisiert. Die verformungsinduzierte Phasenumwandlung von γ-Austenit zu α'-Martensit wurde global und lokal mittels magneto-induktiven Messungen bzw. Elektronenrückstreubeugungsanalyse ausgewertet. Die Analysen zeigen, dass ein ausgeprägtes Relief entlang der Schnittfläche sowie ein Grat an der Unterseite der Schnittkante bei 2 mm, 4 mm und 6 mm dicken Platten gebildet wurden. Zusätzlich haben sich Poren in der Grenzfläche zwischen dem umgeschmolzenen Material und dem Grundmaterial oder innerhalb des umgeschmolzenen Materials bei den 4 mm und 6 mm dicken Platten gebildet. Infolgedessen zeigen die laserstrahlgeschnittenen Proben eine 40% niedrigere Dauerfestigkeit im Vergleich zu den Proben, welche in einem makroskopisch quasi defektfreien Zustand sind. Obwohl beim Schneiden dickerer Platten gröbere Oberflächen entstehen, ist die Verringerung der Dauerfestigkeit entgegen den Erwartungen unabhängig von der Probendicke. Die größte Verringerung der Ermüdungslebensdauer ist auf die Kerbwirkung des Grates zurückzuführen, gefolgt von der Kerbwirkung des Oberflächenreliefs für 2 mm dicke Platten bzw. des Einflusses von Poren im Fall der 4 mm und 6 mm dicken Platten. Ein Zusammenhang zwischen der Phasenumwandlung von γ-Austenit zu α'-Martensit, die durch zyklische Verformung entsteht, und der Lastfrequenz wurde nachgewiesen. Eine niedrigere Prüffrequenz ruft für den untersuchten unsymmetrischen Belastungsverlauf einen signifikanten zyklischen Kriecheffekt, höhere mittlere Dehnungsniveaus, höhere Mengen an α'-Martensitbildung, geringere plastische Dehnungsamplituden und daher höhere Ermüdungsfestigkeiten hervor. Bei Proben mit Oberflächenmikrodefekten, die durch das Laserstrahlschneiden erzeugt werden, hängt der Einfluss der Prüffrequenz auf das Ermüdungsverhalten vom aufgebrachten Belastungsniveau ab. Dieser Einfluss dominiert im LCF zu HCF Bereich, während im Übergang vom HCF in den VHCF Bereich die Ermüdungslebensdauer von der Schwere des Schadens abhängig ist, welcher in der Probe durch lebensdauerbestimmende, zufällig entlang der lasergeschnittenen Reliefoberfläche eingebrachten Mikrokerben hervorgerufen wird.

This thesis aims to reveal the correlation between stress corrosion cracking propagation behavior and Schmid and Taylor factor mismatch using EBSD analysis. <div><br></div><div>Chloride induced stress corrosion cracking (CISCC) is one of the most vulnerable weaknesses for the widely used austenitic stainless steel in many industries. The complex nature of CISCC involves mechanical, electrochemical, and microstructural perspectives. The objective of this thesis is to assess CISCC phenomenon in austenitic stainless steel from the mechanical and crystallographic perspective, specifically on the effect of local strain and stress and anisotropic plastic deformation. Austenitic stainless steel 304L test coupons are bent in four-point bending fixtures to obtain tensile stress for CISCC, followed by corrosion experiment in boiling magnesium chloride solution. Stress state of the sample is evaluated by finite element analysis (FEA) and X-ray Diffraction Crystallography (XRD) prior corrosion test. Cross section of the cracked region are analyzed with Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) to analyze the relationship between CISCC behaviors and crystallographic features in the sample. Schmid factor and Taylor factor are used to quantitatively evaluate CISCC initiation and propagation behavior. It is learned that in polycrystalline FCC stainless steel, mismatch of Schmid factor and Taylor factor values in adjacent grains along crack path governs CISCC propagation susceptibility and path selection. Crack propagation factor competition model is proposed based on observations from EBSD maps, incorporating Schmid factor and Taylor factor mismatch, electrochemical condition of crack tip, and anisotropic properties. <br></div>

The focus of this master’s thesis is on the heat treatment of Ni-base alloys, specifically the risk of intermetallic σ-phases during different stages of heat treatment. The alloy studied is Sanicro®28, a super-austenitic stainless steel produced by Alleima AB. The problem at hand is that the quench-annealing stage is in high demand at the manufacturing facility, and the goal is to investigate if it can be removed from the manufacturing route. During forging, the outer surface and bar-ends can reach low temperatures, posing a high risk of σ-phase precipitation. Additionally, a necklace structure with large grains surrounded by fine re-crystallization is often observed at the surface of forged superalloys/Ni-base alloys. Today, this forged structure is re-crystallized and σ-phase dissolved during the quench-annealing stage. An alternative to quench-annealing after forging is to re-heat the bar using a Car Wagon Furnace(CWF). The thesis includes two laboratory experiments simulating two stages of heat treatment, the CWF and induction furnaces/soaking. The samples subjected to simulated CWF treatment showed re-crystallization throughout the entire structure. Annealing in CWF removes the large grains in surface positions. The time in the CWF also showed to be sufficient to dissolve σ-phase present from forging. Samples heated to the induction furnace set temperature do not contain precipitates, while temperatures below the induction set temperature induce σ precipitation to varying degrees. The key findings of the thesis are as follows: • Re-heating in a CWF right after forging is enough to dissolve σ-phase at half-radius and surface locations. • Quench-annealing stage could be removed by changing the route to a CWF after forging. • If temperatures fall below the σ-maximum stability temperature during induction furnace heating cycles, σ-phase precipitation occurs.