There is a large number of studies concerning
strain-induced martensite in austenitic stainless steels, most of
them related to conventional 300 series of steels [7–9]. According
to many authors, the formation of ε-martensite occurs at a small
strain and it transforms into α0-martensite at larger strains [10–
13]. However, some authors claim that α0-martensite forms directly from austenite [14]. On the other hand, recent studies suggest that, depending on grain size, ε-martensite is or is not an
intermediate phase in the α0-martensite [15,16].
According to the literature, martensite reversion can occur by
two mechanisms during annealing, i.e. athermal or diffusioncontrolled. In case of athermal mechanism the process occurs by
means of coordinated movement of atoms. Hence, a correspondence between product and parent lattice exists. This allows the
reverted austenite to maintain the same texture of cold-rolled
austenite. On the other hand, in the diffusional mechanism there is
a long-range rearrangement of atoms. Consequently, the correspondence between parent and product lattices is not observed
anymore and the resulting texture can be random [17].
ε-martensite is paramagnetic as well as austenite (γ), while α0-
martensite is ferromagnetic. Hence, magnetic measurement is a