Assessment of Phase Transformations in Binary Fe–Mn Alloys: Effects of Composition and of Plastic Strain

A simple, first order description of the formation of ε- and α′-martensite in meta-stable austenitic Fe–Mn alloys containing 12–35 wt% Mn was developed. Given the initial volume fractions of ε- and α′-martensite in the non-deformed material, it is possible to calculate the evolution of phase fractions as a function of applied strain. An accurate estimate of the initial amounts of ε- and α′-martensite based solely on the Mn content of the alloy, could not be obtained due to the important role of microstructure features and processing conditions on the martensitic transformations.Graphic Abstract