{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,3]],"date-time":"2026-09-03T03:34:17Z","timestamp":1788406457382,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,5]],"date-time":"2025-06-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1749081600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Walsin Lihwa Co., Ltd.","award":["NSTC 112-2221-E-006-061-MY2"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NSTC 112-2221-E-006-061-MY2"]}]},{"name":"Instrument Center of National Cheng Kung University of the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan","award":["NSTC 112-2221-E-006-061-MY2"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["NSTC 112-2221-E-006-061-MY2"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Materials"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study investigates the microstructural evolution and mechanical degradation mechanisms of cold-drawn 310S stainless steel subjected to repeated thermal cycling between 900 \u00b0C and room temperature. The results reveal that thermal cycling induces significant lattice distortion, dislocation accumulation, and recrystallization, leading to grain refinement and increased tensile strength. However, these microstructural changes also initiate subsurface cracks and reduce ductility. TGA analysis confirms thermal weight loss from decarburization, especially under oxidative atmospheres. EPMA analysis and tensile tests after thermal cycling reveal that surface cracks formed during thermal cycling act as origins for transgranular crack propagation under tensile stress, significantly reducing fracture resistance. Bending fatigue tests further demonstrate that thermally fatigued specimens exhibit inferior fatigue life compared to raw material, confirming the deteriorating mechanical properties of 310S stainless steel after thermal cycling. Overall, the combined effects of thermal and mechanical fatigue degrade the structural integrity of 310S stainless steel, revealing that lattice distortion and subsurface cracking are the key factors in its embrittlement and reduced fatigue performance.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ma18112654","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,5]],"date-time":"2025-06-05T08:34:32Z","timestamp":1749112472000},"page":"2654","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["A Study on Thermally Fatigued Phase Transformation and Bending Fracture Mechanisms of 310S Stainless Steel"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Ying-Ting","family":"Huang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yu-Wei","family":"Yen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5432-0980","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fei-Yi","family":"Hung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701401, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Lula, R.A. 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