Solubility of Nitrogen in Superaustenitic Stainless Steels During Air Induction Melting

• Published in: Journal of materials engineering and performance 2013-04, Vol.22 (4), p.964-973
• Main Authors: Chandrasekar, A., Anburaj, J., Narayanan, R., Balusamy, V., Mohamed Nazirudeen, S. S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Corrosion and Coatings; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Engineering Design; Equations of state, phase equilibria, and phase transitions; Exact sciences and technology; Materials Science; Phase diagrams and microstructures developed by solidification and solid-solid phase transformations; Phase diagrams of metals and alloys; Physics; Quality Control; Reliability; Safety and Risk; Solubility, segregation, and mixing; phase separation; Tribology
• ISSN: 1059-9495; 1544-1024
• DOI: 10.1007/s11665-012-0364-3

The amount of nitrogen contained in super austenitic stainless steels (SASS) influences their properties significantly. The effect of maximum amount of nitrogen in the highly alloyed Cr and Ni SASS containing further additions of Mo and Mn is studied. The calculated nitrogen contents of the experimental alloys are compared with the actual nitrogen contents obtained in the alloys produced using induction melting furnace. The actual nitrogen content of the alloys is always lower than the calculated value, and this discrepancy is due to the presence of positive interaction parameters of Ni, Cu, and Si in the alloy. However, the yield of nitrogen in the liquid SASS is improved significantly with additions of Mn and Mo contents. The construction of multicomponent phase diagrams for SASS is demonstrated using Thermo-Calc software. SASS containing more nitrogen exhibited a very high strength without loss of toughness.