Non-destructive evaluation of austenite stainless steels using a scanning Hall-sensor microscope

Spontaneous magnetic field on the surface of austenite stainless steel SUS304 was measured under a static condition by using a scanning Hall-sensor microscope, which had magnetic sensitive area of 50μm x 50μm. The precursor of fatigue fracture was tentatively detected from the change of magnetic image observed by the microscope. Specimens used in this experiment were prepared by following procedures: Rolled SUS304 was cut into a piece of 110 mm length x 40 mm width by electric discharge processing, and then notches were carved at both centers of the length of the piece. A test of tensile strength of the piece was run at room temperature, and the change of spontaneous magnetization image was studied before and after the tensile strength test. After the test, spontaneous magnetic field was observed around the notches although it was not detected before the test. Many slip lines were found around the location where the spontaneous magnetic field was observed, and a significant increase of hardness was examined by Vickers hardness. These facts indicated that the spontaneous magnetic field observed after the test would be caused from stress-induced martensitic transformation in austenite stainless steel. The stress distribution after applying tensile stress was simulated and the result was compared with the distribution of the spontaneous magnetic field. After the comparison between the stress and the spontaneous magnetic field distribution, it was concluded that the distribution of spontaneous magnetic field resembled that of principal shear stress rather than of principal stress. Therefore, the principal shear stress would be suggested to be a driving force for the stress-induced martensitic transformation. (Y. Kazumata)