Micro-scale strain distribution in hot-worked duplex stainless steel

A modified microgrid technique has been applied to a laboratory-made duplex stainless steel, to experimentally simulate the local state of deformation of the austenite-ferrite microstructure of low-alloy steels subject to intercritical deformation. A sample containing such a microgrid was deformed by plane strain compression at high temperature under conditions representative of hot rolling processes. The distortion of the microgrid after hot deformation revealed, in a quantifiable manner, the plastic flow of both phases and different deformation features. The micro-strain distributions measured can be used to validate the models predicting the hot deformation of low alloyed C-Mn steels during intercritical rolling.