Influence of Temperature on Mechanical Properties, Fracture Morphology and Strain Hardening Behavior of a 304 Stainless Steel

Specimens were tensile tested up to rupture at temperatures of 25, 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 ºC by using a universal testing machine with an attached environmental test chamber. The induction of martensite by strain was assessed by X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement.

The resultant fracture morphologies were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The changes in the mechanical properties as a function of temperature were evaluated through the variations in the stress-strain curve and the strain hardening behavior was described in terms of strain hardening rate, instantaneous strain hardening exponent and Crussard-Jaoul analysis. Six strain hardening stages were detected at lower temperatures, transitioning into three strain hardening stages at higher temperatures.