A novel 13Cr austenitic stainless steel with excellent mechanical properties and high hydrogen embrittlement resistance via heterostructure and TRIP effects

Abstract A 13Cr austenitic stainless steel with a good combination of high yield strength, ductility and hydrogen embrittlement resistance was designed by combining hetero-deformation induced strengthening and martensitic transformation induced plasticity effects. Room temperature metastable austenite is promoted by adding 8 wt% Mn to a 13Cr–5Ni–2Mo supermartensitic stainless steel. A heterostructure consisting of remaining martensite grains located between lath austenite grains and micrometer-sized austenite grains embedded inside ultrafine grains, was fabricated by cold rolling (44% reduction) and annealing at 973 K through a shear reversion process. The novel 13Cr austenitic stainless steel exhibits a yield strength of 923 MPa, tensile strength of 1085 MPa and total elongation of 33.2%. The hydrogen embrittlement resistance of the novel steel was determined by incremental step loading technique testing and was increased 40% compared with that of the 13Cr–5Ni–2Mo supermartensitic stainless steel. This study provides an approach for the design and industrial fabrication of high strength (125 ksi grade level), high ductility and hydrogen embrittlement resistant stainless steels that can be used in harsh service environments containing hydrogen.