Pulsed Aging Induces Copper‐Rich Phase Precipitation in Copper‐Containing Austenitic Stainless Steels for Strength and Ductility Enhancement

Electric pulse, as a new environmentally friendly technology, can effectively improves the traditional solid solution aging heat treatment process, accelerate atomic diffusion, promotes the nucleation of second‐phase precipitation, and shorten the precipitation time. Therefore, this study utilizes the electric pulse technique to prepare a Cu‐rich phase. The mechanical properties are studied and found to peak at a relatively short pulse aging time. The Vickers hardness value stabilized around 125 HV, and the tensile strength reaches 561.5 MPa. The grains in the necking region are elongated during uniaxial tension, and the twin structures were severely disrupted. In addition, the degree of damage to the tensile samples is evaluated using digital image correlation technology. The hard‐oriented copper texture {112}<111> and the S‐type texture {123}<634> played a crucial role in stabilizing the plastic deformation of the structure. Cu‐rich phases preferentially nucleated at planar defects such as dislocations and grain boundaries. With the extension of the pulse aging time, the average size of the Cu‐rich phase gradually increases from 12.5 to 17.1 nm, but the density of the Cu‐rich phase gradually decreases.