Electron backscattered diffraction and atomic force microscopy analysis of slip bands induced by fatigue in 316L austenitic stainless steel

Abstract
The techniques of Electron Backscattered Diffraction (EBSD) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) have been associated to study surface slip features on 316L austenitic stainless steel polycrystals tested in the Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) range. EBSD investigations allow the identification of activated slip planes for each grain, the determination of slip directions based on Schmid factors calculations as the local inclination of the slip plane according to the surface. AFM allows the measurement of steps height induced at the surface along slip bands and also the characterization of the local morphology of extrusions at a nanometric scale. In this study both techniques are used on the same surface of interest in order to combine crystallographic and topographic information. Consequently a schematic model of the slip band emergence is proposed.