Effect of compression deformation on precipitation phase behavior of B-containing S31254 super austenitic stainless steel

Effects of compression deformation on the sigma-phase precipitation behavior of B-containing S31254 stainless steel after solution treatment were studied using the Gleeble compression test. The cold and hot processing characteristics of B-containing S31254 stainless steel were evaluated, and the results show that the speed of compression deformation increased the precipitation rate of the sigma phase, and the location of precipitation extended from the austenite grain boundary to the original hot rolling deformation area. During cold deformation at room temperature, the precipitation rate increased when the deformation reached at 40%. Deformation at 950 degrees C affected precipitation more obviously. At 1074 degrees C, when the deformation reached 20%, the precipitated phases started increasing, and above this deformation range, precipitation began decreasing. Also, at 1074 degrees C, the deformation accelerated the precipitation of sigma phase; but with deformation, there was a change in critical temperature for the sigma-phase excursion. The precipitation position of the sigma phase is strongly related to the area of the original hot rolling deformation. With an increase in the deformation amount, precipitates in this region appeared as coarse-grained, skeletal, and network-like features.