Enhancement of Mechanical Properties of AISI304 Stainless Thin Plate by Low-pressure, Repeated Explosive Hardening

Abstract

In order to improve the mechanical properties of AISI304 stainless thin plate, a low-pressure, repeated explosive hardening process was carried out using the explosive treatment technique. Both the residual microstructures and mechanical properties of the treated material were investigated and compared with the undeformed sample. The results show that microhardness, yield strength and ultimate strength of the treated sample remarkably enhanced during a low-pressure, repeated explosive hardening. We propose that the strengthening mechanisms are closely related to the microstructure evolution during the lowpressure, repeated explosive hardening. The corresponding microstructures in the twice hardening samples were dominated by deformation twins, α martensites, with a few deformation bands. The microstructures in the four times hardening samples were characterized by deformation bands and α martensites, where volume fraction of martensite was larger than that in the twice hardening sample.