A Study of Internal-Friction Peaks in Type 304 Stainless Steel Containing Nitrogen

Abstract

Internal-friction studies were made on 304 austenitic stainless steel to determine if this is a valid method for measuring interstitial diffusion in face-centered metals and alloys. Both unnitrided and nitrided 304 stainless steel wires were tested in a torsional pendulum at frequencies from 0.33 to 1.1 cps. Internal-friction spectra were recorded and analyzed. The conclusions reached were that interstitial atoms can cause relaxation peaks to appear on the internal-friction spectra and that the observed peaks were much broader than nitrogen-induced peaks in body-centered cubic materials.