Stainless Steel Microstructural Evolution of Hot-Rolled Clad Plate

The stainless steel microstructure evolution of carbon–stainless-clad steel plate was investigated during vacuum hot-rolling bonding under different deformation conditions. The results show that carbide M2C precipitates in the interior of stainless steel (SS) and carbon content increases with rising reduction ratio (ε). The dislocation density of the SS surface (ρI) is lower than that of the midst (ρM), and ρI decreases with the rising ε. However, ρM increases first and then decreases with rising ε. The dislocation density of bonding interface decreases due to the increasing size of austenite grain. Furthermore, the dislocation density of the midst is high where the high energy of carbide M2C is concentrated for single-pass rolling, and the quantity of M2C increases with reduction ratio. Moreover, carbide almost disappeared while being transformed into austenite, and only minimal granular carbides were formed after two-pass rolling. Bonding strength increases evidently with rising ε and is inversely proportional to ρI