A novel high manganese austenitic steel with higher work hardening capacity and much lower impact deformation than Hadfield manganese steel

•A FeMnSiC steel has higher work hardening capacity than Hadfield manganese steel.•A FeMnSiC steel shows a much lower impact deformation than Hadfield manganese steel.•Distorted twins lead to the anomalous work hardening in Hadfield manganese steel.

To tackle the problem of poor work hardening capacity and high initial deformation under low load in Hadfield manganese steel, the deformation behavior and microstructures under tensile and impact were investigated in a new high manganese austenitic steel Fe18Mn5Si0.35C (wt.%). The results show that this new steel has higher work hardening capacity at low and high strains than Hadfield manganese steel. Its impact deformation is much lower than that of Hadfield manganese steel. The easy occurrence and rapid increase of the amount of stress-induced ε martensitic transformation account for this unique properties in Fe18Mn5Si0.35C steel. The results indirectly confirm that the formation of distorted deformation twin leads to the anomalous work hardening in Hadfield manganese steel.

Graphical abstractThis figure shows the relationship between impact deformation amount and surface hardness in Fe18Mn5Si0.35C and Hadfield manganese steels. Fe18Mn5Si0.35C steel shows a much lower impact deformation and greater work hardening properties than Hadfield manganese steel.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide