Influence of the High-Temperature Mechanical Loading Mode on the Flow Behavior and Microstructural Evolution of a Nb-Stabilized Austenitic Stainless Steel

The present work addresses the effect of three high-temperature deformation modes, namely, torsion, uniaxial compression, and plane strain compression, on flow stress vs. strain curves, as well as on post-dynamic and static recrystallization of 316Nb austenitic stainless steel. Using a Hosford criterion instead of the classical von Mises criterion enables a unified description of the stress–strain curves obtained under different loading modes. This work also revealed that the loading mode had no significant effect on post-dynamic and static recrystallization phenomena. The amount of niobium atoms in solid solution might be preponderant in the control of recrystallization of 316Nb.