Microstructure and property evolutions of a novel Super304H steel during high temperature creeping

High-temperature creep tests of a novel Super304H steel under 650 °C/195 MPa were conducted and the evolutions of microstructure and property with creep time of the material were investigated by using optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, micro Vickers hardness tester and electrochemical workstation. The results show that M₂₃C₆ carbides precipitated along grain boundaries of austenite matrix in a chain distribution and then got coarsened with the increase of creep time. Creep cavities started to form near the surface when the steel was crept for 2500 h. Afterward creep cavities increased, developed, interconnected and finally formed micro cracks along grain boundaries till fracture at the time of 4578 h. The hardness of the steel increased dramatically at the early stage of creeping and reached a high level at 500 h, and then kept a stable state at the succedent stage till fracture. Intergranular corrosion susceptibility of the steel increased first and then declined gradually, indicating the occurrence of sensitization – desensitization process of the steel during creeping.