Effect of hydrostatic pressure on phase transformations in Kh17N8 steel during deformation

The phase composition and structure of Kh17N8 steel strained to different degrees under atmospheric pressure and 1700 MPa are investigated. It has been found that deformation at 1700 MPa causes α and epsilon-martensite formation, the same deformation under atmospheric pressure - only α-martensite formation. The amount of the formed α-martensite is not changed with application of hydrostatic pressure. Electron-microscopic observations have shown that the dispersion of α-martensite formed under pressure is higher than in the absence of pressure; no interconnection in formation of α and epsilon-martensite in samples strained under pressure has been observed