Quenching and partitioning processing of transformable ferritic stainless steels

Austenite was stabilized at room temperature in a low-interstitial 16%Cr transformable ferritic stainless steel by quenching from the intercritical annealing temperature to below the martensite start temperature of the intercritical austenite prior to the partitioning of interstitials C and N to the austenite at or above the quenching temperature. Partitioning temperatures as high as 500 °C were associated with austenite enrichment, indicating the suitability of quenching and partitioning processing for stainless steels.