The effect of surface preparation on surface damage and sigma formation in duplex stainless steel

Sigma formation in duplex stainless steels is known to be detrimental to the mechanical properties of the material and limits the alloys to low temperature applications. In this paper, the surface damage caused by grinding on different grit sizes or polishing, is assessed using EBSD. The surface finish is then related to the depth of sigma formation in the surface region with a quantification of how the surface finish effects the sigma nucleation and growth. Finally, the effect of surface finish and sigma formation on the oxidation characteristics of the material is considered.