Isothermal Decomposition of Ferrite in a High-Nitrogen, Nickel-Free Duplex Stainless Steel

Abstract

The formation and crystallography of second phases during isothermal decomposition of ferrite (α) in a high-nitrogen, nickel-free duplex stainless steel was examined by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). At an early stage of aging, the decomposition of α started along the α/γ phase boundaries where sigma (σ) phase and secondary austenite (γ ₂) precipitated in the form of an alternating lamellar structure. The combined analyses based on the simulation of diffraction patterns and stereographic projection have shown that most of the σ phase was related to the γ ₂ by the following relation: $(111)_{\gamma } \parallel (001)_{\sigma }$ and $[10\bar{1}]_{\gamma } \parallel [110]_{\sigma } .$The intergranular and intragranular precipitation of Cr₂N with trigonal structure were identified, and the orientation relationships (ORs) with α and γ matrix could be expressed as $\left( {110} \right)_{\alpha } \parallel \left( {0001} \right)_{{{\text{Cr}}_{2} {\text{N}}}}$,$\left[ {\bar{1}11} \right]_{\alpha } \parallel [\bar{1}100]_{{{\text{Cr}}_{2} {\text{N}}}} \,;\,(111)_{\gamma } \parallel (0001)_{{{\text{Cr}}_{2} {\text{N}}}}$, and $\left[ {\bar{1}10} \right]_{\gamma } \parallel \left[ {\bar{1}100} \right]_{{{\text{Cr}}_{2} {\text{N}}}} ,$ respectively. The precipitation of intermetallic χ phase was also observed inside the α matrix, and they obeyed the cube-on-cube OR with the α matrix. Prolonged aging changed both the structure of matrix and the distribution of second phases. The γ ₂, formed by decomposition of α, became unstable because of the depletion of mainly N accompanied by the formation of Cr₂N, and it transformed into martensite after subsequent cooling. As a result, the microstructure of the decomposed α region was composed of three kinds of precipitates (intermetallic σ,χ, and Cr₂N) embedded in lath martensite.