Multi length scale characterization of austenite in TRIP steels using high-energy X-ray diffraction

The martensitic transformation behavior of the meta-stable austenite phase in low alloyed TRIP steels has been studied in situ using high-energy X-ray diffraction during deformation. The stability of austenite has been studied at different length scales during tensile tests and at variable temperatures down to 153 K. A powder diffraction analysis has been performed to correlate the macroscopic behavior of the material to the observed changes in the volume fraction of the phases. Our results show that at lower temperatures the deformation induced austenite transformation is significantly enhanced and extends over a wider deformation range, resulting in a higher elongation at fracture. To monitor the austenite behavior at the level of an individual grain a high-resolution far-field detector was used. Sub-grains have been observed in austenite prior to transformation.