Abstract: High manganese steels (HMS), known for their exceptional strength-ductility balance, are increasingly utilized in dynamic loading applications. This review examines the effects of strain rate on their mechanical properties and microstructural evolution, focusing on strain rate hardening, adiabatic heating softening, and dynamic strain aging (DSA). The influence of strain rate on yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, strain hardening, and ductility is discussed, highlighting both positive and negative sensitivities across different alloy compositions and strain rate regimes. The strain rate response of various deformation mechanisms, including deformation twinning, dislocation slip, and phase transformation, is examined alongside their influence on microstructural evolution, alloy design, and industrial applications. The intricate role of DSA is also analyzed, emphasizing its contribution to strain rate sensitivity. To optimize HMS for dynamic environments, future research should focus on advanced modeling and processing techniques, in-situ characterization methods, and a deeper understanding of thermally activated processes and stacking fault energy-controlled mechanisms. This review provides insights into strain rate effects, guiding alloy design, and technological advancements of the new HMS.

Key words: High manganese steels, Strain rate sensitivity, Yield strength, Strain hardening, Deformation mechanisms, Microstructural evolution, Dynamic strain aging