Understanding heterogeneity and anisotropy of Duplex Stainless Steel's elastic/plastic nature through property mapping technique

•Property mapping technique was used to assess heterogeneity and anisotropy of DSS.•P-h curves, property maps and histograms across TS & LS directions were provided.•Influence of heat treatments on nano-mechanical behaviour was also reported.•Deformation nature was interpreted through various empirical ratios. Accelerated property mapping, an advanced indentation technique was used to describe the nanomechanical behaviour of duplex stainless steel (DSS) surfaces prior to and post heat treatments. Heterogeneity in deformation responses and relative elastic and/or plastic nature of DSS was assessed on longitudinal and transverse directions through load–displacement curves, property maps, histograms of hardness (H), modulus (E) and indentation works. Empirical ratios such as H/E, (H/E)1/2, H3/E2 and plasticity index were employed to understand the anisotropy across the directions.