Taguchi Analysis of Hardness and Strength of Hot Compressed Duplex Steel Using Gleeble Thermomechanical System

Duplex stainless steels, well known for their excellent mechanical properties and high corrosion resistance, are used in high concentration chloride environments. However, the formation of intermetallic phases when they are exposed to high temperatures for extended periods limits their application in such scenarios. Hence, to determine their mechanical behavior, a study was conducted to determine the optimum parameters for obtaining good strength and hardness in duplex stainless steel. The Gleeble Physical testing system was used to test 2002 duplex stainless steel under hot compression while varying strain, strain rate, and temperature. Using an L9 orthogonal array, the optimal parameters for achieving high strength and hardness were arrived at using Taguchi techniques. It was identified that, at 1000 °C, a 10 s−1 strain rate in samples strained to 60% provided the best results. Lastly, the microstructure was analyzed and correlated with the experimental results.