ASTM A1084-13

4.1 Test Method A shall only be used to supplement the results of Test Methods B and C. It shall not be used as a rejection criterion, nor shall it be used as an acceptance criterion. Test Methods B and C are intended to be the procedures giving the acceptance criteria for this standard.

4.2 Test Method A can reveal potentially detrimental phases in the metallographic structure. As the precipitated detrimental phases can be very small, this test demands high proficiency from the metallographer, especially for thinner material.

4.3 The presence of detrimental phases is readily detected by Test Methods B and C provided that a sample of appropriate location and orientation is selected.

4.4 The tests do not determine the precise nature of the detrimental phase but rather the presence or absence to the extent that the normally expected toughness and corrosion resistance of the material are significantly affected.

4.5 This standard covers testing of samples taken from coil, coil- and plate mill plate, sheet, tubing, piping, bar and deformed bar, though some of these products might not be suitable for testing according to Method B (see Test Method B for further details). Other product forms have thus far not been sufficiently tested and documented to be an integral part of this standard, though the standard does not prohibit testing of these product forms according to the three test methods. For these other product forms, this standard gives only limited and non-exhaustive guidance as to interpretation of result and associated acceptance criteria.

4.6 Testing on product forms outside the present scope of this standard shall be agreed between purchaser and supplier.

1.1 The purpose of this test method is to allow detection of the presence of detrimental chromium-containing phases in selected lean duplex stainless steels to the extent that toughness or corrosion resistance is affected significantly. Such phases can form during manufacture and fabrication of lean duplex products. This test method does not necessarily detect losses of toughness nor corrosion resistance attributable to other causes, nor will it identify the exact type of detrimental phases that caused any loss of toughness or corrosion resistance. The test result is a simple pass/fail statement.

1.2 Lean duplex (austenitic-ferritic) stainless steels are typically duplex stainless steels composed of 30-70 % ferrite content with a typical alloy composition having Cr > 17 % and Mo < 1 % and with additions of Nickel, Manganese, Nitrogen and controlled low carbon content as well as other alloying elements. This standard test method applies only to those alloys listed in Table 1. Similar test methods for some higher alloyed duplex stainless steels are described in ASTM A923, but the procedures described in this standard differ significantly for all three methods from the ones described in A923.