Modeling of Austenite Grain Growth Behavior for AISI 302 Stainless Steel

Background: Among the metals used in foundry, we find the austenitic stainless steels, which are used in several fields because of their mechanical properties, which can change during the heat treatments; for that, it is important to understand and control the growth of the austenite grains. Objective: Modeling austenite grain growth by considering the effects of heating temperature, holding time, and initial austenite grain size on austenite grain growth. Methods: In this paper, the austenite grain growth process of AISI 302 steel was studied in a temperature range of 900 to 1000 °C and a holding time of up to 360 minutes. Based on the experimental results and a combination of Arrhenius and Sellars type equations, a mathematical model of austenite grain growth was developed. Results: From the experimental part, it was found that the increase in heating temperature caused the dissolution of carbides; therefore, the size of austenite grains grew faster, implying a higher growth rate. The prolongation of the holding time also led to the increase in the size of the austenite grains. Conclusion: Based on statistical indicators and a comparison between experimental and predicted re-sults, the ability of the model to predict austenite grain growth was confirmed. © 2022 Bentham Science Publishers.