A new high Mn-Ni free (duplex stainless steel) DSS containing 18Cr-6Mn-1Mo-0.2N has been developed by examining the effects of manganese oil the corrosion and mechanical properties of high Mn SSs containing 18Cr-4 similar to 11Mn-0 similar to 2Ni-0 similar to 1Mo-0.2N. The alloy with 45% ferrite is found to be an optimum alloy with much higher mechanical strength and similar corrosion resistance compared with those of standard SS304. In addition, the alloy was free of precipitation of sign-la phase and Cr-nitride when exposed to high temperatures due primarily to relatively low contents of Cr, N and Mo. With ail increase in Mn content, the resistance to pitting and metastable pitting corrosion of high Mn DSS decreased since the number of (Mn, Cr) oxides, acting as preferential sites of pitting, increased with the Mn content. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.