Thermodynamic modeling of the stacking fault energy in austenitic stainless steels

Abstract: The stacking fault energy (SFE) of seven austenitic stainless steels with the compositions x(Cr)=20 at%, 8≤x(Ni)≤20 at% and 0≤x(Mn)≤8 at% have been calculated at room temperature using the thermodynamics-based Olson and Cohen modeling approach [1]. Modeling has been performed using the TCFE7 database together with the Thermo-Calc 3.0 software. Experimental SFE values from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurements and theoretical SFE values from ab initio calculations were used for comparison. The results of the SFE from TCFE7 were not in agreement with the values reported in the literature. After an evaluation of the thermodynamic parameters in the database, a new assessment of the SFE in the ternary and quaternary Fe-Cr-Ni and Fe-Cr-Ni-Mn system was proposed which resulted in SFE values in fairly good agreement with the literature.