Low-cycle fatigue behavior of a high manganese austenitic twin-induced plasticity steel

The monotonic tensile properties and deformation mechanisms of Fe–Mn–C twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steels have been extensively studied; however, the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) properties of this series of advanced steels have not been well understood. The present paper addresses the cyclic deformation behavior and the deformed microstructure of an as-annealed TWIP steel. Fully reversed push–pull LCF tests were performed at room temperature under total strain amplitude control with a strain rate of 0.006 s−1 and strain amplitudes ranging from 0.002 to 0.01. The results show initial rapid cyclic hardening within the initial 10% of the fatigue life at all strain amplitudes, and demonstrate an obviously enhanced cyclic yield strength. Different types of cyclic stress responses were revealed, which are featured by initial cyclic hardening followed by cyclic saturation, or followed by cyclic softening and saturation, or followed by cyclic softening without saturation till the final fracture, depending on the strain amplitude applied. The microstructure prior to and after fatiguing were examined by means of optical and transmission electron microscopy. The typical optical microstructure of fatigued samples is characterized by increases in slip band density with increasing strain amplitude or number of cycles at a given strain amplitude applied. The substructures of the deformed samples are featured by the formation of stacking faults and vein/labyrinth dislocation structures, while fine twins and cell or wall dislocation structures, besides those generated at lower strain amplitudes, are formed at high strain amplitudes.