Oxidation of a micrograined austenitic stainless steel and its effect on tensile properties.

Experimental studies of plastic deformation in a 316-type stainless steel have been carried out to evaluate the effect of test temperature and environment. Two experimental environments have been used: atmospheric air and vacuum. The analysis concerned properties examined during tensile test at a constant strain rate. The serrated yielding was observed at temperatures intermediate and it has been found that the number of serrations per unit strain is higher while the flow stress is lower in air. The chemical composition of the oxide scales has been studied. It has been shown that the processes of oxidation depend on the environment and chemical compositions of the material.