Cold Work Hardening Character of AISI 301
1Cr17Ni7 (AISI 301) austenitic stainless steel is one of the most widely used ferritic stainless steels. It is used in a wide range of applications, including construction, automotive, automotive components, industrial equipment and many more. AISI 301 is a non-hardenable steel, but it can be hardened through cold working. The ability to cold working gives the material a great advantage over other types of stainless steels when the properties of the material need to be modified in order to meet the requirements of a particular application.
The cold work hardening of 1Cr17Ni7 (AISI 301) occurs due to the presence of strain hardening induced by the plastic deformation of the material from its original as-received condition. As the strain increases with deformation, the tensile strength and yield strength also increase with increasing strain. However, the increase in the tensile strength is usually lower than the increase in the yield strength. The increase in the yield strength is usually due to the strain hardening of the material, which increases its ability to resist yielding. Additionally, when 1Cr17Ni7 (AISI 301) is cooled rapidly after deformation, it has been observed that the tensile strength and yield strength will increase even more due to the precipitation of a hardening phase. This hardening phase is typically chromium and nickel-rich, and it serves to further increase the strength of the material.
The cold working ability of 1Cr17Ni7 (AISI 301) can be increased by first preheating the material before subjecting it to deformation. This preheating allows the ductility of the material to improved and it also reduces the work hardening that takes place during deformation. Additionally, annealing of the material after deformation can help to further refine the microstructure of the material, which ultimately increases the strength. The addition of an aging treatment can also improve the cold work hardening of 1Cr17Ni7 (AISI 301). This aging treatment works through the precipitation of a hardening phase within the material and it helps to further improve the strength of the material.
The maximum strength of 1Cr17Ni7 (AISI 301) obtained through cold working is dependent on the amount of deformation that is applied to the material. As the cold work increases, the tensile and yield strength of the material also increases. Unfortunately, this increase in strength also comes with a decrease in the ductility of the material, making it difficult to form and shape the material during cold working. The magnitude of this decrease in ductility depends on the amount of cold working that is applied to the material.
In conclusion, 1Cr17Ni7 (AISI 301) is a non-hardenable steel that can be easily hardened through cold working. Cold work increases the strength of the material, but it also reduces its ductility. Preheating, annealing and aging treatment can all be used to improve the degree of cold work hardening, although all of these treatments should also be done with caution as they can also impose additional strain on the material and lead to unexpected cracks and fractures.
