Effect of Deformation on Microstructure of 301L Stainless Steel

After hot rolling and multipass cold rolling experiment, the hot rolled sheet and the sheets with reduction ratios of 20% and 40% of 301L stainless steel were obtained. The effect of cold rolling reduction ratio on microstructure of 301L stainless steel was investigated by metallographic analysis, XRD analysis and TEM analysis. The research shows that carbides precipitate along the austenite phase interface in the hot rolled specimen. Crystalline grains are refined by cold rolling: their average grain size decreases from 91.9 to 17.3 nm as the reduction ratio increases, which is accompanied by the blocking of dislocations.