Interaction between precipitation, normal grain growth, and secondary recrystallisation in austenitic stainless steel containing particles

Abstract

With the aid of various complementary methods of microstructural analysis, the precipitation, grain growth, and secondary recrystallisation behaviour of an 15Cr-15Ni-1.2Mo-Ti-B (wt-%) austenitic stainless steel were studied over prolonged periods of time in the temperature range 600-1300°C. The experimental results showed that several types of precipitates were present in the material, and that the dissolution temperatures of each of these correlated with the type and extent of grain growth which was observed. It was, therefore, concluded that in the present study secondary recrystallisation was caused directly by the interaction of precipitates with grain boundaries. Furthermore, secondary recrystallisation produced a strong, predominantly {122} 〈012〉 texture which has not previously been reported. © 1999 IoM Communications Ltd.