Effect of Uniaxial Tension on the Microstructure and Texture of High Mn Steel

Cold-rolled to 42% thickness reduction and annealed at 500, 625, and 700 C,

an Fe–17Mn–3Al–2Si–1Ni–0.06C wt% steel is subjected to uniaxial tension

and characterized via digital image correlation and electron back-scattering

diffraction. The cold-rolled and 500 C samples return similar microstructures

comprising predominantly α0-martensite and remnant e-martensite fractions

and a trace fraction of untransformed austenite (γ) before and after uniaxial

tension. For the 625 and 700 C samples, uniaxial tension results in the

transformation of the initially reverted and recrystallized γ into e and α0-

martensite via strain localization. The γ shows the formation of h111iγ,

h100iγ double-fiber texture, whereas the e and α0-martensite show the

development of the {hkil}e and h110iα0 || ND fibers, respectively.

1012gh1011ie extension twinning is also observed in e-martensite upon

uniaxial tension. The cold-rolled sample exhibits a mixed brittle and ductile

fracture mode. The fracture of the 500 C sample is similar to that of the

cold-rolled sample, whereas the 625 and 700 C samples display a ductile

fracture mode.