Effect of Substitutional Alloying Elements on the Stacking Fault Energy in Austenitic Steels

The results of the structure and stacking fault energy (SFE) investigations of low-carbon austenitic steels alloyed with substitutional elements are summarized. An increase in the manganese content in the range 7–20 wt % in Fe–Mn alloys is shown to make austenite stable to the γ–α transformation and unstable to the γ–e transformation. Ferromanganese steel containing 20 wt % Mn has the maximum number (50–55%) of stacking faults after deformation. The SFE of Fe–Mn alloys is inversely proportional to the manganese content at Mn < 14 wt % and directly proportional at higher manganese concentrations. A temperature dependence of the SFE on the manganese content is found for Fe–Mn alloys. The effect of chromium on the SFE depends on the manganese content. A linear dependence of the SFE on the nickel content in Cr–Ni steels with 10–25 wt % Cr is found in the concentration range 10–25 wt %.