Figure 3a shows the SEM-EBSD image of phase map distribution for the UNS S32750 SDSS alloy in the as-received (AR) state. One can observe that the identified phases were as follows: δ-phase (coloured in blue) and γ-phase (coloured in red). One can also observe that the γ-phase presents an islands-like morphology within the δ-phase matrix. On the basis of SEM-EBSD analysis, the constituent phase ratio was computed. The computation algorithm assumed 10 measurements of 403.4 × 403.4 (μm × μm) fields and statistical analysis of obtained phase ratios. It was determined that the F53 SDSS alloy in AR condition showed the presence of 49.1% ± 2.3% δ-phase and 50.9% ± 2.1% γ-phase. Figure 3b shows the grains’ orientation distribution for both the δ-phase and γ-phase. A closer look at the γ-phase grains’ orientation distribution shows the presence of annealing twins. Similar observations were also made by other researchers, showing that the annealing twins belong to the {111} <112> system ^[4][5][6].

The grain reference orientation deviation (GROD) map can be used as a visualisation tool to assess the accumulated deformation/strain at microstructural level ^[7][8]. GROD is based on the misorientation (MO) between a reference point of that grain and the other points. The reference point can be the mean orientation of the grain or the point of the grain where the KAM (kernel average misorientation) is the lowest ^[9][10]. In the present work, the GROD map provides the orientation field referenced to a fixed point, which is the mean orientation of the grain. As shown, the GROD map shows grains exhibiting deviations from the average grain orientation, deviations due to accumulated strain resulting as a consequence of, firstly, grains’ deformations by slip/twinning and/or rotations and, secondly, other induced strain hardening effects during applied TM processing. Figure 3c,d show the GROD maps for the γ-phase and δ-phase, respectively. One can observe that the maximum MO reaches a value close to 6.52° and is recorded in the case of the δ-phase (Figure 3d). The γ-phase shows grains with a level of accumulated strain inferior to δ-phase, and in both phases, the maximum level of MO is recorded in small-size grains (Figure 3c,d).

Figure 4a shows the phase map distribution for the hot-rolled (HR) state. The microstructure consists of the δ-phase (coloured in blue) and γ-phase (coloured in red). It can be observed that the γ-phase shows a modified morphology, from an islands-like to a typical roll-deformed one, with high-elongated grains, along the RD direction, within the δ-phase matrix. Analysing the grains’ orientation distribution for both the δ-phase and γ-phase (Figure 4b), one can observe that the γ-phase grains accommodate better induced intense deformation, during the hot-deformation processing, when compared with the δ-phase grains and, furthermore, the observed annealing γ-phase twins show signs of deformation. Figure 4c,d show the GROD maps for the γ-phase and δ-phase, respectively. One can observe that the maximum MO reaches a value close to 31.62° (an increase of approximately 485%, compared with the AR state) and is recorded in the case of the δ-phase (Figure 4d). Besides intensely deformed grains, the δ-phase shows the presence of new dynamically recrystallized grains, which show uniform GROD distribution, with an average MO close to 0°, and an average grain-size close to 30 μm (Figure 4d). No new dynamically recrystallized grains were observed in the case of the γ-phase.

In all aging treatments states, short-duration aging treatments—A1.1, A2.1, and A3.1 states—and long-duration aging treatments—A1.2, A2.2, and A3.2 states—the observed morphology of both the δ-phase and γ-phase shows the same typical roll-deformed features, with highly-elongated, along the RD direction, γ-phase grains within the δ-phase matrix (Figure 5a,e, Figure 6a,e, Figure 7a,e). Only in the case of long-duration aging treatment A2.3, besides the δ-phase and γ-phase, a precipitated secondary phase was detected, namely the R-phase (Fe(Cr)NiMo) (Figure 7e), showing a fine and almost uniform distribution within the δ-phase matrix. The computed R-phase weight fraction, based on EBSD data, is situated close to 6.5%. In all cases, grains’ orientation distribution, for the δ-phase and γ-phase, shows that the γ-phase grains accommodate better the intense deformation compared with the δ-phase grains and the annealing γ-phase twins are still present (Figure 5b,f, Figure 6b,f, Figure 7b,f). Significant differences were observed in the case of GROD maps. One can see that the maximum GROD decreases continuously with the increasing aging treatment temperature and duration. In all cases, the maximum MO is recorded for the δ-phase. In the case of short-duration aging treatment states, the maximum MO continuously decreases to 20.40° for the A1.1 state (Figure 5d) (a decrease of approximately 35.5% compared with the HR state), to 17.80° for the A2.1 state (Figure 6d) (a decrease of approximately 43.7% compared with the HR state), and finally to 15.11° for the A3.1 state (Figure 7d) (a decrease of approximately 52.2% compared with the HR state). Analysing the case of long-duration aging treatment states, it can be observed that the GROD maps suffers further decreasing owing to increased treatment duration (120 h). Recorded maximum MO values are continuously decreasing, to 18.50° for the A1.2 state (Figure 5h) (a decrease of approximately 9.3% compared with the A1.1 state), to 16.20° for the A2.2 state (Figure 6h) (a decrease of approximately 8.9% compared with the A2.1 state), and finally to 13.8° for the A3.2 state (Figure 7h) (a decrease of approximately 8.6% compared with the A3.1 state). The observed decrease suggests that an important effect induced by the aging treatments is represented by the stress relieving phenomena within the microstructure. The main characteristics of stress relieving are represented by the removal of unwanted effects induced by plastic deformation. Owing to stress relieving, the crystal imperfections density and high elastic strains and residual stress fields can be significantly lowered, improving the material’s exhibited properties.

In both short-duration aging treatment and long-duration aging treatment states, one can observe the presence of new, dynamically recrystallized δ-phase grains. If one compares the observed number of recrystallized δ-phase grains in the case of HR (Figure 4d) with ones obtained after aging performed at 400 °C for 3 h (A1.1 state—Figure 5d) and 120 h (A1.2 state—Figure 5h), they will notice that the highest number of recrystallized δ-phase grains is observed in the case of the A1.2 state, followed by the A1.1 state, and finally the HR state, suggesting that the aging treatment duration influences the recrystallization of new δ-phase grains. Similar observations can also be made in the case of aging performed at 500 °C for 3 h (A2.1 state—Figure 6d) and 120 h (A2.2 state—Figure 6h), and in the case of aging performed at 600 °C for 3 h (A3.1 state—Figure 7d) and 120 h (A3.2 state—Figure 7h). Generally, an intensely deformed phase behaves better as the number of new recrystallized grains, from the parent phase, is increasing (i.e., if one considers δ-phase ductility, it is expected that a higher ductility will be obtained as the number of recrystallized grains is increasing).

The decrease in GROD and the increased number of recrystallized δ-phase grains are proving that aging treatments, at temperatures between 400 and 600 °C and durations between 3 and 120 h, can influence the properties exhibited by the UNS S32750 SDSS alloy.