LAUSR

Abstract Characterization of crystal orientation and grain boundaries is of great interest in the understanding of the mechanisms taking place during the degradation process originated by the exposure of materials to erosive media. In the present study, an austenitic stainless steel previously analyzed by electron backscatter diffraction was exposed to ultrasonic cavitation erosion. Several parameters such as crystal orientation, misorientation, coincidence site lattice, Schmid factor and twin orientation were examined in order to determine their influence on the local susceptibility to early damage induced by cavitation. Crystallographic orientation was found to play a significant role in the deformation mechanisms occurring inside grains. Furthermore, high misorientation between adjacent grains was recognized as a determining factor leading to early damage observed at random grain boundaries, while the difference in Schmid factor was identified to have a significant effect on the cavitation resistance of twin boundaries. Moreover, the effect of the deviation from the ideal orientation predicted for coherent twins was analyzed in connection with cavitation resistance.