Effects of Carbon on the CG HAZ Toughness and Transformation of X80 Pipeline Steel

X80 pipeline steel produced by TMCP has high strength and high toughness with ultrafine grain microstructure. The microstructure coarsens and the toughness worsens at the coarse grained (CG) HAZ apparently after weld simulation. The experimental results indicated that the bainitic ferrite and the second phases formed at cooling are differently as the variation of carbon in base metal. In low carbon steels, the bainitic ferrite laths are long and narrow, the second phases are complex including residual austenite, martensite, the M-A constituent and the Fe3C carbide. The formation of Fe3C carbide is the main reason of the poor toughness in CG HAZ. The ultralow carbon in base metal, however, can improve the CG HAZ toughness through restraining the formation of carbides, decreasing the M-A constituent, increasing the residual austenite content, which are beneficial to the CG HAZ toughness.     

正火型V-N-Ti和Nb-V-Ti海工钢焊接粗晶热影响组织和韧性研究

用焊接热模拟方法研究了V-N-Ti和Nb-V-Ti微合金化正火型海工钢模拟粗晶热影响区(CGHAZ)组织和韧性的变化规律。结果表明,组织的不同使V-N-Ti设计正火型海工钢的模拟CGHAZ韧性比Nb-V-Ti钢的好。对于V-N-Ti钢,较高的N含量提高了富Ti(Ti, V)(C, N)粒子析出温度和铁素体形核能力,使模拟CGHAZ原始奥氏体晶粒和(取向差角为15°)晶粒细化,并生成能阻止或使解理裂纹的偏转细小多边形铁素体,因此具有良好的低温韧性。而Nb-V-Ti钢模拟CGHAZ原奥氏体晶界上的链状M-A、粗大的原始奥氏体晶粒和有效晶粒尺寸,是模拟CGHAZ韧性差的原因。     

Influences of flux-cored arc welding consumables on dynamic fracture toughness (J1d) of armour grade Q&T steel joints

Quenched and tempered (Q&T) steels are prone to hydrogen-induced cracking in the HAZ after welding. Austenitic stainless steel (ASS) welding consumables are traditionally used for welding of high hardness Q&T steels as they have higher solubility for hydrogen. The use of stainless steel consumables for a non-stainless steel base metal is not economical. In recent years, the developments of low hydrogen ferritic steel (LHF) consumables that contain no hygroscopic compounds are utilized for welding of Q&T steels The use of ASS and LHF consumables for armour grade Q&T steel will lead to formation of distinct microstructures in their respective welds. This microstructural heterogeneity will have a drastic influence in the dynamic fracture toughness of the armour grade Q&T steel welds. Hence, an attempt was made in this paper to study the influence of flux-cored arc welding consumables on dynamic fracture toughness ( J _1d) of armour grade Q&T steel joints. The flux-cored arc welding consumables have a significant effect on the dynamic fracture toughness of the armour grade Q&T steel welds. The joints fabricated using ASS flux-cored wires showed superior J _1d values than the joints fabricated using LHF consumables and the base metal.     

Austenite grain growth modelling in weld heat affected zone of Nb/Ti microalloyed linepipe steel

Abstract

A model to predict the austenite grain size in an Nb/Ti microalloyed steel weld heat affected zone (HAZ) was developed. The present work investigates grain growth behaviour under the influence of pinning carbonitrides. The steel has been subjected to austenitising heat treatments to selected peak temperatures at various heating rates that are typical for thermal cycles in the HAZ. The effect of temperature and heating rate on the grain size is studied. A model is proposed for the dissolution of NbCN precipitates. This model has been coupled to an austenite grain growth model in the presence of pinning particles. This coupling leads to accurate prediction of the austenite grain size along the heating path simulating selected thermal profiles of the HAZ.     

Overview Inclusion assisted microstructure control in C–Mn and low alloy steel welds

Abstract

Inclusion assisted microstructure control has been a key technology to improve the toughness of C–Mn and low alloy steel welds over the last two to three decades. The microstructure of weld metals and heat affected zones (HAZs) is known to be refined by different inclusions, which may act as nucleation sites for intragranular acicular ferrite and/or to pin austenite grains thereby preventing grain growth. In the present paper, the nature of acicular ferrite and the kinetics of intragranular ferrite transformations in both weld metals and the HAZ of steels are rationalised along with nucleation mechanisms. Acicular ferrite development is considered in terms of competitive nucleation and growth reactions at austenite grain boundary and intragranular inclusion nucleation sites. It is shown that compared to weld metals, it is difficult to shift the balance of ferrite nucleation from the austenite grain boundaries to the intragranular regions in the HAZ of particle dispersed steels because inclusion densities are lower and the surface area available for ferrite nucleation at the austenite grain boundaries tends to be greater than that of intragranular inclusions. The most consistent explanation of high nucleation potency in weld metals is provided by lattice matching between ferrite and the inclusion surface to reduce the interfacial energy opposing nucleation. In contrast, an increase in the thermodynamic driving force for nucleation through manganese depletion of the austenite matrix local to the inclusion tends to be the dominant nucleation mechanism in HAZs. It is demonstrated that these means of nucleation are not mutually exclusive but depend on the nature of the nucleating phase and the prevailing transformation conditions. Issues for further improvement of weldment toughness are discussed. It is argued that greater numbers of fine particles of a type that preferentially nucleate acicular ferrite are required in particle dispersed steels to oppose the austenite grain boundary ferrite transformation and promote high volume fractions of acicular ferrite and thereby toughness.     

T250马氏体时效钢的显微结构变化对性能的影响

多种手段的显微结构研究显示,T250马氏体时效钢在时效过程受到晶粒尺寸的影响。时效析出细小的弥散相起到沉淀强化作用,同时产生的逆转奥氏体以膜片状分布在晶界和亚晶界起到明显的软化作用,这些组织结构特征是材料的强韧性和晶粒尺寸关系不明显的原因。     

Effect of silicon content on microstructure and toughness of simulated heat affected zone in titanium killed steels

Abstract

hree steels having different silicon contents were prepared to study the microstructure and toughness of the thermally simulated heat affected zone (HAZ) in titanium killed steels. For a low silicon addition, the oxygen content in the molten steels decreased remarkably. This in turn caused a change in the inclusion phase from predominantly titanium oxide to titanium nitride (TiN), the change being accompanied by two major microstructural modifications. The austenite grain size became refined and the quantity of intragranularly nucleated acicular ferrite decreased. The microstructural change was found to cause coarsening of Charpy fracture surfaces and deterioration of HAZ toughness of the steels. The minor change of silicon content therefore has a profound influence on the properties of titanium killed steels.

MST/1503     

Carbide precipitates and mechanical properties of medium Mn steel joint with metal inert gas welding

Medium Mn steel was metal inert gas(MIG)welded with NiCrMo-3 and 307Si filler wires.The effect of filler wires on the microstructure and mechanical properties of joint was investigated,and the carbide precipitates were contrastively discussed.The results revealed that the microstructure of weld metal,heat-affected zone and base metal are austenite.Obvious grain coarsening occurred in the heat-affected zone(HAZ),and the maximum grain size grew up to 160 pm.In HAZ,C and Cr segregated at grain boundaries,the carbides was identified as Cr7C3.The dispersive(Nb,Mo)C phase was also found in weld metal with NiCrMo-3 filler wire.All the welded joints failed in HAZ during tensile tests.The tensile strength of welded joint with NiCrMo-3 filler wire was 675 MPa,which is much higher than that with 307Si filler wire.In comparison to base metal,higher microhardness and lower impact toughness were obtained in HAZ for these two welded joints,which was attributed to the precipitation of Cr7C3 phase and grain coarsening.The impact toughness around the fusion line is the worst for these two welded joints.     

Nb、Ti微合金钢中碳氮化物固溶与再析出的研究

利用光学显微镜(OM)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)研究了再加热温度、奥氏体区变形温度和组织转变温度的变化对Nb、Ti微合金钢组织性能及其碳氮化物固溶与再析出行为的影响.结果表明:钢中加入铌,主要利用铌的碳氮化物在奥氏体形变过程中的再析出,抑制形变奥氏体的再结晶,在随后的组织演变过程中细化了组织;而钢中加入较高含量的钛,主要利用钛的碳化物在铁素体中的析出,产生明显的沉淀强化作用.这主要是铌、钛的碳氮化物固溶后,在奥氏体和铁素体中再析出的不同所造成的.钢中复合加入Nb-Ti后既起到细化晶粒的作用,又起到析出强化的作用.细晶强化既提高钢的强度又提高钢的韧性,但沉淀强化在大幅提高钢的强度的同时恶化了钢的韧性.     

022Cr25Ni7Mo4N双相不锈钢等温处理中的组织演变EI北大核心CSCD

研究经1100℃等温处理2~20 h后022Cr25Ni7Mo4N双相不锈钢的显微组织演变。观察钢中奥氏体晶粒形态变化并对其尺寸进行定量表征,测量铁素体/奥氏体两相中的元素含量变化,并探讨组织演变对实验钢中铁素体相体积分数的各向异性和低温冲击韧性的影响。结果表明:随着保温时间的延长,奥氏体晶粒发生聚集、长大、粗化现象,并伴随显著的晶粒形态变化,a/b值≥4.0时细长棒状晶粒体积分数从近20%骤降至5%以下,a/b值介于1.0~1.9的等轴晶粒体积分数显著上升的同时,尺寸≥20μm的晶粒体积分数快速增加。保温时间的延长使得Mo,Cr元素进一步向铁素体相扩散、富集,并提高铁素体相抗点蚀当量(pitting resistance equivalent number,PREN)值。细长棒状奥氏体晶粒比例的显著下降,是奥氏体体积分数各向异性改善和实验钢低温冲击韧性提高的主要原因。     

X90钢级管线钢预精焊接头的性能研究

为综合研究X90管线钢的焊接性,选用国内某钢厂轧制的X90管线钢卷板,利用预精焊工艺制备试验钢管4根,采用金相分析、扫描电镜(SEM)断口分析、夏比V型缺口冲击试验、拉伸、弯曲、硬度等试验,研究了焊接接头各个区域的组织和性能.试验结果表明:内外焊缝区组织均为针状铁素体,热影响区(HAZ)粗晶区晶粒粗化严重,主要组织为粒状贝氏体和贝氏体铁素体,在原奥氏体晶界和贝氏体板条内部存在块状或条状的(马氏体-奥氏体)M-A组元;HAZ冲击功离散性较大,出现了单值较低(45 J)的试样,SEM断口分析呈现典型的解理断裂特征;焊接接头抗拉强度805~815 MPa,断裂位置均在HAZ;焊接接头反弯试样易在HAZ出现裂纹和脆断现象;HAZ硬度在220~250 HV之间,较母材下降30 HV左右.HAZ是X90预精焊钢管焊接接头的薄弱环节,为提高X90管线钢的焊接稳定性,应重点研究精焊内外热循环双热影响亚区的组织转变和脆化机理.     

Role of zirconium in microalloyed steels: a review

Recently there has been a renewed interest in the addition of zirconium to microalloyed steels. It has been used since the early 1920s, but has never been universally employed, as have niobium, titanium or vanadium. The functions of zirconium in steelmaking are associated with a strong chemical affinity, in decreasing order, for oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur and carbon. Historically, the main use of additions of zirconium to steel was for combination preferentially with sulphur, to avoid the formation of manganese sulphide, known to have a deleterious influence of the impact toughness of wrought and welded steel. Modern steelmaking techniques have also raised the possibility that zirconium additions can reduce the austenite grain size and increase dispersion strengthening, due to precipitation of zirconium carbonitrides, or in high nitrogen vanadium–zirconium steels, vanadium nitride. This review gathers information on the compounds of zirconium identified in steels together with crystallographic data and solubility equations. Also brief accounts of the role of sulphides and particles in general on austenite grain size control and toughness are included.     

HAZ microstructure simulation in welding of a ultra fine grain steel

In the present work the evolution of grain structure in the weld HAZ (heat affected zone) under welding thermal cycle was simulated. Especially the grain growth in the HAZ of a SS400 ultra fine grain steel was investigated. An integrated 3-D Monte Carlo (MC) simulation system for grain growth of the weld HAZ was developed based on Microsoft Windows. The results indicate that MC simulation is an effective way to investigate the grain growth in weld HAZ. The method not only simulates the non-isothermal dynamics process of the grain growth in the weld HAZ, but also visualizes the austenite grains realistically. Moreover, the thermal pinning effect can be easily included in the simulation process. The grain sizes of the CGHAZ (coarse grain heat affected zone) obtained from MC simulation are basically in agreement with the experimental measurement of the real welded joints under different heat input. Furthermore, the simulation indicates that the grain growth degree is higher for the SS400 ultra fine grain steel compared to conventional steel. With the increase in the heat input, the grain growth of the CGHAZ rapidly increases. Because the activation energy of the grain growth is lower for the SS400 ultra fine grain steel, austenite grains can grow at a relatively lower temperature, hence the range of the CGHAZ becomes wider.     

Effects of yttrium on microstructure and properties of reduced activation ferritic-martensitic steel

This study investigates the inclusions, microstructure, tensile properties, and impact toughness of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steels with different Y contents (0.006, 0.034 and 0.071?wt-%). Owing to the pinning of the grain boundary to the Y inclusions (which refines the original austenite grain size) and an existing Fe–Cr–Ta–Y–S–O phase, the tensile strength at both room and high temperatures increased with increasing Y content (below 0.071%). Increasing the Y content to 0.034 wt-% decreased the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT). However, when the Y content reached 0.071?wt-%, the DBTT increased as the Y precipitated into blocky yttrium-rich inclusions. The microstructure, tensile properties, and impact toughness of the RAFM steel were optimised at a Y content of approximately 0.034?wt-%.     

高碳钢奥氏体晶粒长大的预测

借助于高温共聚焦显微镜(CLSM)、透射电镜(TEM)研究含Ti钢和无Ti钢的奥氏体晶粒长大行为。试样在1123~1473K之间保温60min时测量一系列温度下不同保温时间的奥氏体晶粒尺寸。结果表明:两种钢奥氏体晶粒尺寸随着温度的上升而增大;另外,两种钢奥氏体晶粒尺寸随时间的延长而长大,并符合抛物线方程。并且,观察到了第二相粒子,用第二相粒子的熟化公式和体积公式分别计算两种钢的含Ti粒子尺寸与体积分数。同时,采用修正的Gladman公式预测两种钢的奥氏体晶粒长大,实验结果和预测结果吻合较好。     

Fracture toughness of M2 and H13 alloy tool steels

Abstract

The influence of microstructural variations on the fracture toughness of two tool steels having compositions (wt-%) lC–4Cr–5Mo–2V–6W (AISI M2 high-speed steel) and 0·35C–5Cr–1·5Mo;amp;#x2013;1V (AISI H13 hot-work steel) was investigated. In the as-hardened condition, the H13 steel has a higher fracture toughness than M2 steel, and the latter steel is harder. In the tempered condition, the H13 steel is again softer and has a higher fracture toughness than M2. There is a decrease in fracture toughness and an increase in hardness when the austenitizing temperature is above I050°C for M2 steel and above 1100°C for H13 steel, in both the as hardened and hardened and tempered conditions. The fracture toughness of both steels was enhanced by reducing the grain size and increasing the overall carbide volume in the matrix. The steel samples of average grain diameter ≥40μm exhibit 2–3 MN m ^?3/2 lower fracture toughness than samples of average grain diameter ≤15 μm. A high content of retained austenite appears to raise the fracture toughness of as-hardened M2 steel. Tempering improved the fracture toughness of M2 and H13 steels. The present results are explained using observations of changes in the microstructure and the modes of fracture.

MST/468     

微量Ce元素对高铬高钴型马氏体耐热钢力学性能的影响

在不同条件下对X20Co高钴高铬型马氏体耐热钢进行热处理,用光学显微镜、扫描电镜、X射线衍射仪以及拉伸实验等手段进行表征,研究了微量Ce元素对其微观组织和力学性能的影响。结果表明,在X20Co钢的淬火过程中,添加质量分数为50×10^-6 Ce元素能促进M₆C型碳化物沿晶析出,阻碍晶界迁移,使奥氏体晶粒细化;在回火过程中能抑制M₂₃C₆型碳化物沿晶界聚集长大。同时,添加50×10^-6 Ce元素对X20Co高钴高铬型马氏体耐热钢的室温硬度、室温强度、高温瞬时拉伸强度没有显著的影响,但是使其室温韧性、塑性和高温塑性显著改善。     

Zone-wise investigation of creep behaviour 9Cr–1Mo steel weld joints

Distinct regions such as weld metal, heat-affected zone (HAZ) and base metal of P9 steel weld joints fabricated by various welding processes were investigated using impression creep testing. Smaller prior austenitic grain size, lower density of precipitates and dislocations resulted in faster recovery and higher creep rate of HAZ in comparison to the weld and base metal. Compared to base metal, shielded metal arc weld (SMAW) and activated tungsten inert gas (A-TIG) weld of the P9 steel weld joints exhibited better resistance to creep and displayed higher activation energy due to their coarser prior austenite grain size. A-TIG HAZ exhibited superior creep properties compared to the SMAW and TIG HAZ due to the presence of higher number density of precipitates.     

管线用超低碳钢中针状铁素体的形成及强韧化行为

通过对一种管线用超低碳钢的变形奥氏体相变工艺的分析，提出了能够获得针状铁素体为主的组织的控制热加工工艺（TMCP）制度，研究了针状铁素体的结构特征和力学特性，结果表明，与管线用中，低碳钢相比较，实验用钢尽管具有很低的碳含量（0．025％），但在当前优化的TMCP工艺下能够获得优良的力学性能，即具有相当的强度和高的冲击韧性，针状铁素体的结构特征提高了材料的力学性能。值得注意的是，在当前肝硬化的TMCP工艺下，针状铁素体晶界上存在一层薄膜，这层薄膜对管线用超低碳钢的强韧性具有重要的作用。     

Processing of Ultralow Carbon Pipeline Steels with Acicular Ferrite

Acicular ferrite microstructure was achieved for an ultralow carbon pipeline steel through the improved thermome chanical control process (TMCP), which was based on the transformation process of deformed austenite of steel. Compared with commercial pipeline steels, the experimental ultralow carbon pipeline steel possessed the satisfied strength and toughness behaviors under the current improved TMCP, although it contained only approximately 0.025% C, vvhich should mainly be attributed to the microstructural characteristics of acicular ferrite.