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

The techniques of Electron BackScattered Diffraction (EBSD) and Atomic Forc e Microscopy (AFM) have been associated to study surface slip features on 3 16L austenitic stainless steel polycrystals tested in the Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) range. EBSD investigations allow the identification of activated sli p planes for each grain, the determination of slip directions based on Schm id factors calculations as the local inclination of the slip plane accordin g to the surface. AFM allows the measurement of steps height induced at the surface along slip bands and also the characterization of the local morpho logy 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 ban d emergence is proposed.