Microstructure and texture characteristics of the metastable Fe–21Mn–3Si–3Al alloy after cold deformation.

Cast Fe-21.2 Mn-2.99 Si-2.73 Al-0.02 wt.% C alloy ingot was homogenized at 1150 °C, hot-rolled at starting temperature 1000 °C, solution treated at 1150 °C for 1 h and cold-rolled to 56% thickness reduction. Metallographic and X-ray diffraction studies revealed that, for small degrees of deformation, ε martensite had nucleated within numerous stacking faults. EBSD analysis showed that α ′ martensite also formed within the ε plates. Plastic deformation occurred by mechanical twinning and martensitic transformations, both γ → ε and γ → ε → α ′ (TWIP and TRIP effect), with the Burgers (Shoji–Nishiyama) {0 0 0 1} ε ||{1 1 1} γ , 〈1 1 2 0〉 ε || 〈1 1 0〉 γ and Kurdjumov–Sachs {1 1 1} γ ||{1 1 0} α , 〈1 1 0〉 γ ||〈1 1 1〉 α relations between the austenite ( γ ), and martensite ( ε and α ′). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]