Low temperature tensile deformation and acoustic emission signal characteristics of AISI 304LN stainless steel

This investigation examines low temperature tensile deformation behavior of AISI 304LN stainless steel along with synergistic analysis of acoustic emission signals. The tensile tests are done at a range of temperatures starting from 283 K till 223 K. The fracture surfaces of the broken specimens are investigated using scanning electron microscope. The amount of deformation induced martensite is measured using a feritscope. The obtained results reveal that with decrease in test temperature, both strength and ductility increase. The increase in strength and ductility with decreasing temperature is explained in terms of void morphologies and formation of deformation induced martensite. The rapid increment in strength and ductility at 223 K is associated with the burst of martensitic transformation at that temperature; which has been clarified from acoustic emission signals. An additional initiative has been taken to model the evolution of martensite formation from the observed cumulative emission counts using a non linear logarithmic functional form. The fitted curves from the recorded acoustic emission cumulative count data are found to be better correlated compared to earlier obtained results. However, at 223 K normal non-linear logarithmic fit is not found suitable due to presence of burst type signals at intervals, therefore; piecewise logarithmic function to model acoustic emission bursts is proposed. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.