Nanocrystalline structures and tensile properties of stainless steels processed by severe plastic deformation

The development of nanocrystalline structures in austenitic stainless steels during large strain cold rolling and their tensile behavior were studied. The cold rolling to total equivalent strains above 2 was accompanied by the evolution of nanocrystalline structures with the transverse grain size of about 100 nm. The development of deformation twinning and martensitic transformation during cold working promoted the fast kinetics of structural changes. The development of nanocrystalline structures resulted in significant strengthening. More than fourfold increase in the yield strength was achieved. The strengthening of nanocrystalline steels after severe plastic deformation was considered as a concurrent operation of two strengthening mechanisms, which were attributed to grain size and internal stress. The contribution of internal stresses to the yield strength is comparable with that from grain size strengthening.