Effects of Ce on the corrosion resistance of low‐nickel austenite stainless steel containing Ce from 0.005 to 0.022 wt% were investigated in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution, 5 wt% H2SO4 solution, 1 mol/L NaHCO3 and 0.5 mol/L Na2CO3 solution. The results demonstrate that addition of Ce to low‐nickel austenite stainless steel forms multi‐phase inclusions containing CeAlO3 and Ce2O2S that can prevent corrosion. Ce addition to steels increases the corrosion resistance owing to metamorphic inclusions and the improvement of electrode potential in the matrix. The pitting corrosion originates from the defects of passive film or inclusions and then continues to expand, deteriorating the pitting corrosion resistance. The EIS measurements indicate that the steels with Ce addition exhibit higher Rp values than that without Ce, which demonstrates the relative resistance to corrosion is accompanied by an increasing Ce addition. AISI 202 stainless steel with 0.016 wt% Ce addition in the mass fraction has the best corrosion resistance.

Effects of cooling rate ( Vcr) and final cooling temperature ( Tft), after hot deformation, on microstructure and hardness for 1·0C–1·5Cr bearing steel were investigated. The results show that if Vcr increases from 2 to 25°C s−1 and Tft remains at 650°C, pearlite colony size and grain size both decrease, hardness increases. When Vcr exceeds 8°C s−1, carbide network can be restrained effectively. TEM micrographs indicate that there exist branches in the local region of lamellar cementite and ferrite, and a ferrite thin film is also found around the proeutectoid carbide. Under the cooling rate of 10°C s−1, with the increase in Tft, the microstructure changes from martensite into pearlite, carbide network becomes more serious and hardness decreases.