EFFECT OF ELECTROPOLISHING ON THE ROOM-TEMPERATURE LOW-CYCLE FATIGUE BEHAVIOR OF AISI 304LN STAINLESS-STEEL

The surfaces of specimens of AISI 304LN stainless steel were given different levels of finish by means of electropolishing and mechanical polishing with emery papers of different grit sizes. They were subjected to total strain-controlled low-cycle fatigue (LCF) deformation at room temperature. The cyclic stress response and the strain-life plots were recorded. As opposed to the mechanically polished specimens, the electropolished specimens displayed secondary hardening in the later stages of deformation even at low strain amplitudes. This behaviour could be attributed to increased martensite formation in the latter case because of the enhanced life. The effect of electropolishing in enhancing the LCF life was more pronounced at the lower strain amplitudes.