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COMPLEX MAGNETIC INVESTIGATION OF FERRITIC STAINLESS STEEL István Mészáros Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BUTE), Department of Materials Science and Engineering H-1111 Goldmann tér 3, (V2/159), Budapest, Hungary. (meszaros@eik.bme.hu) Keywords: Barkhausen noise, ferritic stainless steel, magnetic characterization Abstract Magnetic Barkhausen noise measurement (MBN) is a relatively new non-destructive detection technique. Its working principle is based on Barkhausen discontinuities or noise when a ferromagnetic material is subjected to a varying magnetic field. MBN is being used to characterise the stress state of a ferritic stainless steel (AISI 430). Other magnetic parameters such as saturation induction (BMax), remnant induction (BR), coercive field (HC) and maximal relative permeability (PMax) derived from the hysteresis loop have also been used to support the results achieved using MBN. Microstructural changes due to cold working and heat treatments were characterized by the applied magnetic measurements. The MBN technique was proved to be a useful non-destructive and quantitative method for microstuctural investigation of the investigated ferritic stainless steel. Introduction High stress corrosion resistance and relatively low production costs are the main reasons for the increasing applications of AISI 430 ferritic stainless steels [1]. But problems such as loss of ductility and toughness when exposed to elevated temperatures, for instance during welding, is a main concern [2]. The use of a non-destructive evaluation technique to characterise the post-welding microstructural state of a material, could be of use in determining the optimal levels of heat input and welding speeds. For characterisation, ferritic stainless steel (AISI 430) samples were plastically deformed and heat treated to various degrees and measured using Barkhausen sensing techniques. In a ferromagnetic material, Barkhausen noise (BN) is generated by the discontinuous movem