Effect of multiple warm rolling on microstructure and mechanical properties of 304 stainless steel prepared by aluminothermic reaction

Abstract

304 stainless steels were prepared by aluminothermic reaction method; first steels are annealed at 1000°C and then rolled at 700°C for different deformation. The microstructures evolution and mechanical properties were distinguished in details. It was found that the steel contains nanocrystalline/submicrocrystalline/microcrystalline austenite and submicrocrystalline ferrite. After rolling to a thickness reduction of 30%, 50%, and 70%, the mechanical properties of the rolled steels were substantially increased, as the deformation increased from 30% to 50%, the tensile strength increased from 650 to 1110 MPa, the yield strength increased from 400 to 665 MPa, and the elongation increased from 8% to 8.5%.