Unraveling the Effect of Deformation Temperature on the Mechanical Behavior and Transformation-Induced Plasticity of the SUS304L Stainless Steel

The behavior of the SUS304L metastable austenitic stainless steel during deformation above and below M-d temperature is systematically studied. At temperatures higher than M-d, linear temperature-dependent relationships are observed for tensile strength and elongation; whereas below M-d, a sharp increase in these parameters is identified. A pronounced transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect is observed when the amount of martensite in the necked region becomes significant, resulting in a maximum point in the work-hardening plot and enhancement of strength-ductility balance.