Abstract
The solubility of nitrogen in austenitic stainless steel was investigated thermogravimetrically by equilibrating thin foils of AISI 304 and AISI 316 in ammonia/hydrogen gas mixtures. Controlled dissolution of colossal amounts of nitrogen under metastable equilibrium conditions was realized, with nitrogen contents as high as corresponding to an occupancy of y N=0.61 of the interstitial sublattice, i.e., about 38 at. pct N. Associated with the dissolution of these unprecedented nitrogen contents in an austenitic matrix a reversible volume expansion of the austenite lattice occurred for y N > 0.17. A simplistic model based on a statistical distribution fo the nitride forming elements over the octahedrons constituting the solid state agrees favorably with the experimental data.
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Christiansen, T., Somers, M.A.J. Controlled dissolution of colossal quantities of nitrogen in stainless steel. Metall Mater Trans A 37, 675–682 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-006-0039-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-006-0039-5