Recent progress in microstructural evolution, mechanical and corrosion properties of medium-Mn steel

Medium-manganese (Mn) steel (MMS) has remarkable characteristics of high strength, strong work-hardening capacity, and wear resistance, being a promising third-generation advanced high-strength steel with lower raw material cost compared with other generations of advanced high-strength steel. The chemical composition and processing route play critical roles in determining the microstructural evolution of the MMS, and the microstructure composition significantly influences the mechanical, corrosion and wear properties of the steel. Hence, a lot of research work focus on exploring the direct relation between microstructural evolution and mechanical/corrosion/wear properties, and the progress has the following crucial aspects: (1) alloying design on the phase composition and carbide precipitation, (2) processing route on regulating microstructure evolution and twinning-induced plasticity and/or transformation-induced plasticity strengthening mechanism, (3) work-hardening, corrosion, and corrosion resistance of the regulated MMS, and (4) fracture and failure mechanism of MMS under tensile, corrosion and wear damages, as well as the improvement strategies.