Concurrent phase separation and clustering in the ferrite phase during low temperature stress aging of duplex stainless steel weldments

The concurrent phase separation and clustering of alloying elements in the ferrite phase of duplex stainless steel weldments after stress aging at 325 °C have been investigated by atom probe tomography analysis. Both phase separation, into Fe-rich and Cr-rich ferrite, and solute clustering were observed. Phase separation in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) is most pronounced in the high alloyed SAF 2507, followed by SAF 2205 and SAF 2304. Moreover Cu clustering was observed in the HAZ of SAF 2507. However, decomposition in the weld bead (25.10.4L) was more pronounced than in the HAZs, with both phase separation and clustering of Ni–Mn–Si–Cu. The observed differences in the decomposition behaviors in the HAZ and weld bead can be attributed to the high Ni content and the characteristic microstructure of the weld bead with high internal strains. In addition, an applied tensile stress during aging of weldments has been found to further promote the kinetics of phase separation and clustering.     

Phase-Field Modeling of Sigma-Phase Precipitation in 25Cr7Ni4Mo Duplex Stainless Steel

Phase-field modeling is used to simulate the formation of sigma phase in a model alloy mimicking a commercial super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) alloy, in order to study precipitation and growth of sigma phase under linear continuous cooling. The so-called Warren–Boettinger–McFadden (WBM) model is used to build the basis of the multiphase and multicomponent phase-field model. The thermodynamic inconsistency at the multiple junctions associated with the multiphase formulation of the WBM model is resolved by means of a numerical Cut-off algorithm. To make realistic simulations, all the kinetic and the thermodynamic quantities are derived from the CALPHAD databases at each numerical time step, using Thermo-Calc and TQ-Interface. The credibility of the phase-field model is verified by comparing the results from the phase-field simulations with the corresponding DICTRA simulations and also with the empirical data. 2D phase-field simulations are performed for three different cooling rates in two different initial microstructures. A simple model for the nucleation of sigma phase is also implemented in the first case. Simulation results show that the precipitation of sigma phase is characterized by the accumulation of Cr and Mo at the austenite-ferrite and the ferrite-ferrite boundaries. Moreover, it is observed that a slow cooling rate promotes the growth of sigma phase, while a higher cooling rate restricts it, eventually preserving the duplex structure in the SDSS alloy. Results from the phase-field simulations are also compared quantitatively with the experiments, performed on a commercial 2507 SDSS alloy. It is found that overall, the predicted morphological features of the transformation and the composition profiles show good conformity with the empirical data.

     

Application of interrupted cooling experiments to study the mechanism of bainitic ferrite formation in steels

New interrupted cooling experiments have been designed to study the kinetics of bainitic ferrite formation starting from a mixture of austenite and bainitic ferrite. It is found that the kinetics of bainitic ferrite formation during the cooling stage is determined by the isothermal holding time. The formation rate of bainitic ferrite at the beginning of the cooling decreases with increasing prior isothermal holding time. An unexpected stagnant stage during the cooling stage appears when the isothermal holding time increases to a critical point. There are two reasons for the occurrence of the stagnant stage: (i) a solute spike in front of the interface; and (ii) kinetic transition. A so-called Gibbs energy balance approach, in which the dissipation of Gibbs energy due to diffusion inside the interface and interface friction is assumed to be equal to the available chemical driving force, is applied to theoretically explain the stagnant stage. A kinetics transition from a fast growth mode without diffusion of Mn and Si inside the austenite–bainitic ferrite interfaces to a slow growth mode with diffusion inside the interface is predicted. The stagnant stage is caused by the transition to a slow growth mode. The Gibbs energy balance approach describes the experimental observations very well.     

On the three-dimensional structure of WC grains in cemented carbides

In the present work, the size distribution and shape of WC grains in cemented carbides (WC–Co), with different Co contents, have been investigated in three dimensions. Direct three-dimensional (3-D) measurements, using focused ion beam serial sectioning and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), were performed and a 3-D microstructure was reconstructed. These measurements were supplemented by two-dimensional (2-D) EBSD and scanning electron microscopy on extracted WC grains. The data from 2-D EBSD collected on planar sections were transformed to three dimensions using a recently developed statistical method based on an iterative inverse Saltykov procedure. This stereological analysis revealed that the assumed spherical shape of WC grains during the Saltykov method is reasonable and the estimated 3-D size distribution is qualitatively in good agreement with the actual distribution measured from 3-D EBSD. Although the spherical assumption is generally fair, the WC grains have both faceted and rounded surfaces. This is a consequence of the relatively low amount of liquid phase during sintering, which makes impingements significant. Furthermore, the observed terraced surface structure of some WC grains suggests that 2-D nucleation is the chief coarsening mechanism to consider.     

Precipitation Kinetics During Post-heat Treatment of an Additively Manufactured Ferritic Stainless Steel

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - The microstructure response of laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF)-processed ferritic stainless steel (AISI 441) during post-heat treatments is studied in...     

Corrosion–microstructure interrelations in new low-lead and lead-free brass alloys

ABSTRACT

Stress-relieving heat treatment has been reported to deplete the corrosion resistance of new low-lead and lead-free brass alloys. How the heat treatment, processing and material composition relates to the microstructure and corrosion performance is not well understood. The present study aims to fill this knowledge gap by mapping stress-relieving annealing conditions and different standardised compositions to their respective microstructures and dezincification performance. It was found that loss of corrosion resistance was only the most severe for alloys with higher aluminium and iron content. These alloys displayed significant precipitation of intermetallic aluminium arsenide particles on grain boundaries, twins and lead particles, as well as the formation of β-phase along grain boundaries.

This paper is part of a Thematic Issue on Copper and its Alloys.     

Correction to: Quantitative Nanostructure and Hardness Evolution in Duplex Stainless Steels: Under Real Low-Temperature Service Conditions

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A -     

Study of decomposition of ferrite in a duplex stainless steel cold worked and aged at 450–500 °C

The influence of cold-deformation on ferrite decomposition in duplex stainless steel during heat treatment at 450–500 °C was investigated using micro-hardness measurements and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that cold-deformation can change the mechanism of the α → α + α′ phase separation in the ferrite from nucleation and growth to spinodal decomposition. This finding is discussed in terms of the influence of an increased dislocation density on coherency strains.