The micromechanisms of ductile fracture have been studied in a commercial AISI 316 austenitic stainless steel. Tensile, Charpy impact, and ductile fracture toughness testing have been performed on unaged material and samples aged at 700°C for times up to 4380 h. Examination of the specimens after testing has shown that the microstructural changes occurring at grain boundaries are responsible for the observed losses of ductility and crack growth resistance. The relative magnitude of the observed changes in mechanical properties has been explained using a simple model to describe the ductile fracture process.
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