Deformation mechanisms of a modified 316L austenitic steel subjected to high pressure torsion

▶ A modified 316L stainless steel was successfully deformed at elevated temperatures from −196 °C to 720 °C using HPT. ▶ At deformation temperatures down to 20 °C mechanical twinning is the predominant deformation mechanisms. ▶ At very low processing temperatures ultrafine grained fcc austenite transforms to hcp ɛ-martensite. ▶ The contraction of Shockley partials and the migration of grain boundaries led to substructure free nanosized austenitic grains.