Research on the Formation and Dissolution Processes of δ-Fe Under Different Cooling Rates
摘要
This study employed the top side-pouring twin-roll casting (TSTRC) process to fabricate 1.6-mm-thick 304 stainless steel cast strips. The effects of different cooling rates on the formation and dissolution of δ-Fe were systematically investigated by comparing the cast strips with the ingots prepared by the conventional process. The 304 stainless steel ingots exhibit a typical coarse-grained microstructure, with δ-Fe predominantly distributed in a worm-like manner within the γ-Fe matrix, accompanied by severe Cr-rich/Ni-lean. The 304 stainless steel cast strips exhibit a uniform and fine equiaxed crystal structure, characterized by skeletal δ-Fe phase distribution along γ-Fe grain boundaries and significantly reduced compositional segregation. The dissolution rate of the δ-Fe phase in the cast strips is significantly higher than in the ingots. The research results on the dissolution kinetics of δ-Fe based on the JMAK model indicate that the dissolution process of δ-Fe in the cast strips is primarily controlled by the diffusion of Cr elements within δ-Fe, whereas the diffusion of Ni elements within δ-Fe mainly dominates the dissolution process of δ-Fe in the ingots.