1993 Volume 79 Issue 4 Pages 524-530
Strength of austenitic stainless steels produced by the thermo-mechanical control process were quantitatively estimated on the basis of various strengthening mechanisms. Optimum strength control method in an industrial scale and the change in corrosion resistance with strengthening were also investigated. The grain size dependency of 0.2% proof strength in austenitic stainless steels is 2/3 of that in plain carbon steels, so that the strengthening by grain refinement was limited to 100MPa or less. Further strengthening was performed by substructure strengthening through the rolling in the unrecrystallization region. The total reduction in this temperature region is the controlling factor for the strength and therefore important to attain an aimed strength level in an industrial scale. A critical cooling rate, above which the corrosion resistance of TMCP plates is comparable to that of ST plates, are 10°C/s for 0.066C, 1°C/s for 0.032C and less than 0.2°C/s for 0.021C.
