18-8　type　austenitic　stainless　steel　has　been　subjected　to　tension　test　at　a　range　of　strain　rates　(5　x　10(-4)-5　x　10(-2)　s(-1))　and　temperatures　(298-973　K)　to　investigate　the　effect　of　temperature　and　strain　rate　on　its　mechanical　properties.　It　was　found　that　the　serrated　flow　behavior　of　this　material,　one　of　the　evident　features　of　dynamic　strain　aging　(DSA)　phenomenon　can　be　divided　into　two　sections　according　to　the　temperatures,　i.e.　the　range　of　523-673　K　and　723-873　K　at　the　strain　rate　of　5　x　10(-4)s(-1).　Within　these　two　temperature　ranges,　one　can　find　some　similar　rules,　for　example,　the　critical　strain　e,　for　the　onset　of　serrations　reduces　with　increasing　temperature.　By　calculating　the　activation　energy　of　the　DSA　process　of　the　material,　it　is　found　that　the　DSA　at　lower　temperature　range　is　caused　by　the　interaction　between　(C,　Ni)　solute　atom　atmosphere　and　dislocation,　and　the　DSA　at　higher　temperature　range　is　caused　by　the　interaction　between　(C,　Cr)　solute　atom　atmosphere　and　dislocations.　In　order　to　further　investigate　the　influence　of　DSA　on　high　temperature　strength　of　the　material,　the　static　tensile　tests　at　temperatures　of　573,　723,　and　873　K,　creep　tests　were　also　carried　out,　respectively,　after　various　DSA　pre-treatments　and　cold-working　processes.　The　results　show　that　the　high　temperature　short-time　strength　and　873　K　creep　rupture　strength　of　the　specimens　increase　with　increasing　pre-strain　temperature　and　pre-strain,　and　the　strengthening　effect　of　DSA　is　higher　than　that　of　cold-working　at　the　same　pre-strain.　(C)　2004　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.