Optimization of preparation methods for EBSD analysis of highly metastable austenitic steels
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P. Jadzinski
Philip Jadzinski has been working at the Chair of Materials Engineering at Ruhr University Bochum since 2017, when he began his vocational training as a materials tester. His field of work includes metallographic sample preparation as well as destructive mechanical testing of various metals and their analysis.
,
J. Rogmann
Abstract
The preparation process of highly metastable austenitic steels can cause a mechanically induced martensitic phase transformation, significantly affecting the quality and validity of subsequent microstructural examinations. In the as-built (untreated) state, specimens additively manufactured from the corrosion-resistant, martensitic knife steel 1.4116 (X50CrMoV15-1, DIN EN 10088) by powder bed fusion-laser beam/metal exhibit the peculiarity of an almost fully austenitic microstructure. This microstructure is, however, thermodynamically metastable, thus forming undesirable deformation martensite during the metallographic preparation for electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) investigations.
This article therefore discusses the application and optimization of metallographic preparation methods with a focus on minimizing preparation-related artifacts. The core question in this work is whether varying the preparation methods and parameters leads to a reduction in the formation of deformation martensite. The α’ content was measured in between the preparation steps using a Ferritscope® to investigate the impact of the preparation on the microstructure. The resulting microstructures were analyzed using EBSD and compared to assess the preparation method’s impact on the quality of the EBSD data. The investigations showed that the grinding/polishing pressure and relatively small differences in the alloy composition considerably affect the preparation result.
Kurzfassung
Der Präparationsprozess hochgradig metastabiler austenitischer Stähle kann eine mechanisch induzierte martensitische Phasenumwandlung hervorrufen, die die Qualität und Validität der anschließenden mikrostrukturellen Untersuchung erheblich beeinträchtigt. Mittels PBF-LB/M additiv gefertigte Proben aus dem korrosionsbeständigen, martensitischen Messerstahl 1.4116 (X50CrMoV15-1, DIN EN 10088) zeigen die Besonderheit, dass im as-built Zustand (unbehandelter Zustand) ein nahezu vollständig austenitisches Gefüge vorliegt. Dieses ist jedoch thermodynamisch metastabil, sodass sich im Zuge einer metallographischen Präparation für EBSD-Untersuchungen unerwünschter Verformungsmartensit bildet.
In diesem Beitrag wird daher die Anwendung und Optimierung metallographischer Präparationsmethoden thematisiert, wobei der Fokus auf der Minimierung präparationsbedingter Artefakte liegt. Die zentrale Fragestellung dieser Arbeit ist, ob eine Variation der Präparationsmethoden und -parameter zu einer Verringerung der Bildung von Verformungsmartensit führt. Um den Einfluss der Präparation auf die Mikrostruktur zwischen den Präparationsschritten zu untersuchen, wurden mittels eines Ferritscopes® Messungen des α‘-Gehalts durchgeführt. Die resultierenden Gefüge wurden mittels EBSD analysiert und miteinander verglichen, um den Einfluss der Präparationsmethode auf die Qualität der EBSD-Daten zu bewerten. Die Untersuchungen ergaben, dass Schleif-/Polierdruck sowie vergleichsweise geringe Legierungsunterschiede einen signifikanten Einfluss auf das Präparationsergebnis haben.
About the author
Philip Jadzinski has been working at the Chair of Materials Engineering at Ruhr University Bochum since 2017, when he began his vocational training as a materials tester. His field of work includes metallographic sample preparation as well as destructive mechanical testing of various metals and their analysis.
5 Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the company Outokumpu which provided the X50Cr-MoV15-1 powders used in this work. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank Stahl Krebs KG which provided the additively manufactured samples in cooperation with exafuse GmbH. Furthermore, the authors acknowledge the financial support from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz, BMWK) for the project “REACT – Resource Efficient Additive Manufacturing of Martensitic Chromium Steels” [funding code 03EI5016A].
5 Danksagung
Die Autoren möchten an dieser Stelle dem Unternehmen Outokumpu ihren Dank aussprechen, welches die in dieser Arbeit verwendeten X50CrMoV15-1-Pulver zur Verfügung gestellt hat. Des Weiteren gilt den Autoren der Dank gegenüber der Firma Stahl Krebs KG, welche in Kooperation mit der exafuse GmbH die additiv gefertigten Proben bereitgestellt hat. Darüber hinaus bedanken sich die Autoren für die finanzielle Unterstützung seitens des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK) für das Projekt „REACT – Resource Efficient Additive Manufacturing of Martensitic Chromium Steels“ [Förderkennzeichen 03EI5016A].
References / Literatur
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© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston, Germany
Articles in the same Issue
- Contents
- Editorial
- Editorial
- Evaluation of damage mechanisms in full-forward rod extruded AISI 5115 steel by AI-based image segmentation
- A roll-headed pin from Getzersdorf, Austria, opens up interesting questions about iron metallurgy in the Hallstatt period
- Magneto-optical Kerr effect analysis of strain-induced martensite formation during flow forming of metastable austenitic steel AISI 304L
- Materials scientific challenges of a circular economy of high-alloy tool steels
- Cavitation-induced damage on a ship propeller’s Kort nozzle made of AISI 316L and investigation of the near-surface microstructural changes
- Preparation of aluminum thin films and laminates
- Preparation and microstructural examination of additively manufactured alloys 316L and 17-4PH
- Results of a round robin test on grain boundary determination by image analysis in the DGM working group ‘Quantitative Structural Analysis’
- Deep learning-based precipitate quantification in STEM images of complex steel microstructures
- A bronze fibula foot from the Roman Carnuntum, Lower Austria
- Optimization of preparation methods for EBSD analysis of highly metastable austenitic steels
- Picture of the Month
- Picture of the Month
- People
- Interview with Gaby Ketzer-Raichle on the occasion of the new edition of “Schumann Metallography”, published by Heinrich Oettel and Gaby Ketzer-Raichle
- News
- News
- Meeting Diary
- Meeting Diary
Articles in the same Issue
- Contents
- Editorial
- Editorial
- Evaluation of damage mechanisms in full-forward rod extruded AISI 5115 steel by AI-based image segmentation
- A roll-headed pin from Getzersdorf, Austria, opens up interesting questions about iron metallurgy in the Hallstatt period
- Magneto-optical Kerr effect analysis of strain-induced martensite formation during flow forming of metastable austenitic steel AISI 304L
- Materials scientific challenges of a circular economy of high-alloy tool steels
- Cavitation-induced damage on a ship propeller’s Kort nozzle made of AISI 316L and investigation of the near-surface microstructural changes
- Preparation of aluminum thin films and laminates
- Preparation and microstructural examination of additively manufactured alloys 316L and 17-4PH
- Results of a round robin test on grain boundary determination by image analysis in the DGM working group ‘Quantitative Structural Analysis’
- Deep learning-based precipitate quantification in STEM images of complex steel microstructures
- A bronze fibula foot from the Roman Carnuntum, Lower Austria
- Optimization of preparation methods for EBSD analysis of highly metastable austenitic steels
- Picture of the Month
- Picture of the Month
- People
- Interview with Gaby Ketzer-Raichle on the occasion of the new edition of “Schumann Metallography”, published by Heinrich Oettel and Gaby Ketzer-Raichle
- News
- News
- Meeting Diary
- Meeting Diary
