Hot Deformation Behavior of As-Cast 2101 Grade Lean Duplex Stainless Steel and the Associated Changes in Microstructure and Crystallographic Texture

The hot deformation behavior of 2101 grade lean duplex stainless steel (DSS, containing ~5 wt pct Mn, ~0.2 wt pct N, and ~1.4 wt pct Ni) and associated microstructural changes within δ-ferrite and austenite (γ) phases were investigated by hot-compression testing in a GLEEBLE 3500 simulator over a range of deformation temperatures, T _def [1073 K to 1373 K (800 °C to 1100 °C)], and applied strains, ε (0.25 to 0.80), at a constant true strain rate of 1/s. The microstructural softening inside γ was dictated by discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) at a higher T _def [1273 K to 1373 K (1000 °C to 1100 °C)], while the same was dictated by continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) at a lower T _def (1173 K (900 °C)]. Dynamic recovery (DRV) and CDRX dominated the softening inside δ-ferrite at T _def ≥ 1173 K (900 °C). The dynamic recrystallization (DRX) inside δ and γ could not take place upon deformation at 1073 K (800 °C). The average flow stress level increased 2 to 3 times as the T _def dropped from 1273 to 1173 K (1000 °C to 900 °C) and finally to 1073 K (800 °C). The average microhardness values taken from δ-ferrite and γ regions of the deformed samples showed a different trend. At T _def of 1373 K (1100 °C), microhardness decreased with the increase in strain, while at T _def of 1173 K (900 °C), microhardness increased with the increase in strain. The microstructural changes and hardness variation within individual phases of hot-deformed samples are explained in view of the chemical composition of the steel and deformation parameters (T _def and ε).