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Electrochemically induced annealing of stainless-steel surfaces

Nature volume 407, pages 885–887 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Modification of the surface properties of metals without affecting their bulk properties is of technological interest in demanding applications where surface stability and hardness are important. When austenitic stainless steel is heavily plastically deformed by grinding or rolling, a martensitic phase transformation occurs that causes significant changes in the bulk and surface mechanical properties1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 of the alloy. This martensitic phase can also be generated in stainless-steel surfaces by cathodic charging, as a consequence of lattice strain generated by absorbed hydrogen10,11,12,13,14,15,16. Heat treatment of the steel to temperatures of several hundred degrees can result in loss of the martensitic structure1, but this alters the bulk properties of the alloy. Here we show that martensitic structures in stainless steel can be removed by appropriate electrochemical treatment in aqueous solutions at much lower temperature than conventional annealing treatments. This electrochemically induced annealing process allows the hardness of cold-worked stainless steels to be maintained, while eliminating the brittle martensitic phase from the surface. Using this approach, we are able to anneal the surface and near-surface regions of specimens that contain rolling-induced martensite throughout their bulk, as well as those containing surface martensite induced by grinding. Although the origin of the electrochemical annealing process still needs further clarification, we expect that this treatment will lead to further development in enhancing the surface properties of metals.

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Figure 1: X-ray diffraction patterns of type 304L stainless-steel surfaces with Cu Kα radiation.
Figure 2: The microhardness of the stainless-steel surfaces with an initial surface finish achieved by polishing to 0.25 µm.

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Acknowledgements

We thank P.A. Midgley and M. Weyland for the TEM analysis. This work was supported by the EPSRC under the ROPA scheme.

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  1. Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Pembroke Street, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ , UK

    G. T. Burstein, I. M. Hutchings & K. Sasaki

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  1. G. T. Burstein
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  2. I. M. Hutchings
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  3. K. Sasaki
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Correspondence to G. T. Burstein.

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Burstein, G., Hutchings, I. & Sasaki, K. Electrochemically induced annealing of stainless-steel surfaces. Nature 407, 885–887 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35038040

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