Microstructure and Mechanical Properties After Shock Wave Loading of Cast CrMnNi TRIP Steel

The mechanical response of shock wave-prestrained high-alloy Cr16-Mn7-Ni6 TRIP steel was investigated under compressive and tensile loading at room temperature. Previous shock wave loading was carried out using a flyer-plate assembly with different amounts of explosives in order to achieve shock pressures of 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 Mbar. A significant increase in hardness and strength was observed as compared with the initial as-cast condition. In contrast, a slight decrease in strain hardening rates was measured together with a decrease in fracture elongation in the tensile test. Microstructural analyses of the shock-loaded samples were performed by light optical and scanning electron microscopy. The microstructure revealed a high density of deformation bands consisting of separated stacking faults, epsilon-martensite, or twins. Significant amounts of deformation-induced alpha'-martensite were only present at the highest shock pressure of 1.2 Mbar. The thickness of the deformation bands and the number of martensite nuclei at their intersections increased with increasing shock pressure. In all shock-loaded specimens, pronounced phase transformation occurred during subsequent mechanical testing. Consequently, the amount of the deformation-induced alpha'-martensite in the shock-loaded specimens was higher than in the unshocked as-cast samples.