Nitrogen distribution in austenitic high-nitrogen chromium-manganese steel under friction and high-pressure torsion

Mossbauer spectroscopy and electron microscopic analysis were used to investigate the precipitation of products of cellular decomposition and their dissolution in high-nitrogen chromium-manganese steel FeMn22Cr18N0.8 under room-temperature severe deformation via dry sliding friction and high pressure torsion in Bridgman anvils. It has been established that the nitrogen content increases in interstitial positions in the quenched and pre-aged alloy due to the strain-induced dissolution of chromium nitrides, which are contained in the products of decomposition. Mossbauer analysis showed that the friction-induced dissolution of chromium nitrides occurs at a depth of more than 10 mu m. Aging reduces the amount of nitrogen that occurred in the solid solution upon deformation. This is explained by the additional energy consumed in grinding the decomposition products.