Creep Rupture Strength and Microstructure of Low C-10Cr-2Mo Heat-Resisting Steels with V and Nb

The new ferritic heat-resisting steels of 0.05C-10Cr-2Mo-0.10V-0.05Nb (Cb) composition with high creep rupture strength and good ductility have already been reported. The optimum amounts of V and Nb that can be added to the 0.05C-10Cr-2Mo steels and their effects on the creep rupture strength and microstructure of the steels have been studied in this experiment. The optimum amounts of V and Nb are about 0.10 pct V and 0.05 pct Nb at 600 °C for 10,000 h, but shift to 0.18 pct V and 0.05 pct Nb at 650 °C. Nb-bearing steels are preferred to other grades on the short-time side, because NbC precipitation during initial tempering stages delays recovery of martensite. On the long-time side, however, V-bearing steels have higher creep rupture strength. By adding V to the steels, electron microscopic examination reveals a stable microstructure, retardation during creep of the softening of tempered martensite, fine and uniform distribution of precipitates, and promotion of the precipitation of Fe₂Mo.     

The effect of titanium on creep strength in 2.25 Pct Cr-1 Pct Mo steels

The effect of a low level of titanium on the microstructure and creep properties of 2.25 pct Cr-1 pct Mo steels has been examined as a function of carbon content and austenitizing temperature. The addition of 0.04 wt pct titanium resulted in a dramatic increase in creep strength at 565 °C, and this was found to be associated with the presence in the microstructure of very small (50 to 100 Å) titanium-bearing precipitates based upon both TiC and Mo₂C. The variation of the minimum creep rate with carbon content and austenitizing treatment was explained in terms of the solubility of TiC in austenite. The titanium-bearing carbides have an important effect on microstructural stability and on the maintenance of creep strength, but it is also apparent that solid solution strengthening by molybdenum can make a significant contribution to creep strength at low carbon levels (0.02 wt pct).     

Effect of normalization temperature on the creep strength of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel

The effect of normalization temperature from 850 °C to 1050 °C on the structure and creep-rupture properties of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel was studied. Normalization at temperatures below 925 °C resulted in structures containing significant polygonized, recovered ferrite. The ferrite structures had poor creep-rupture strength: roughly two orders of magnitude increase in minimum creep rate or decrease in rupture life for 850 °C compared to 1050 °C normalization at test conditions of 600 °C and 145 MPa. Room-temperature strength and hardness were also reduced. The microstructure after normalization at the standard 1050 °C temperature consisted of tempered martensite with fine M₂₃C₆ carbide along prior austenite and lath boundaries and fine MX carbonitride precipitates within the laths. Normalization at temperatures between 925 °C and 1000 °C also resulted in reduced creep strength in comparison with 1050 °C normalization, even though tempered martensite microstructures were formed and little change in room-temperature strength was observed; the reduction was attributed to subtle differences in the MX precipitates. The effect of reduced normalization temperature was more pronounced for higher-temperature, lower-stress creep-rupture conditions.     

Effect of Co on Creep Behavior of a P911?Steel

The microstructure and creep behavior of a 3 pct Co modified P911 steel and standard P911 steel were examined. It was shown that the nanoscale M₂₃C₆ carbides and MX carbonitrides in the 3 pct Co modified P911 steel are not susceptible to significant coarsening under creep conditions. Also, coarsening simulations of M₂₃C₆ particles were performed for both steels. The rates of lath and particle coarsening in the P911 + 3 pct Co steel are remarkably lower than those in the P911. Increased stability of a tempered martensite lath structure in the 3 pct Co modified P911 steel provides enhanced creep resistance at an exceptionally high temperature of 923 K (650 °C).     

Structure and mechanical properties of tempered martensite and lower bainite in Fe−Ni−Mn−C steels

The structure and mechanical properties of tempered martensite and lower bainite were investigated in a series of high purity 0.25 pct C steels with varying amounts of nickel and manganese. The martensites in 0.25 C-5 Ni?Fe and 0.25 C-3 Mn?Fe alloys were mainly untwinned, while those in 0.25 C-5 Ni-7 Mn?Fe and 0.25 C-7 Mn?Fe alloys were heavily twinned. Manganese appears to promote carbide precipitation along the lath boundaries in tempered martensite. At equivalent yield and ultimate tensile strength levels, the tempered martensite of lower manganese steels showed better impact toughness than the tempered martensite of higher manganese steels. The impact toughness (compared at similar strength levels) of untwinned tempered martensite of 0.25 pct C steel with Widmanstatten precipitation of carbide was higher than that of lower bainite, which showed unidirectional carbides. The reasons for the difference in impact toughness between the alloys, and also between the structures are rationalized in terms of internal twinning, grain boundary precipitation and carbide morphology together with other microstructural features.     

Effect of Carbon Reduction on the Toughness of 9CrWVTaN Steels

Nitride-strengthened, reduced activation, martensitic steel is anticipated to have higher creep strength because of the remarkable thermal stability of nitrides. Two nitride-strengthened, reduced activation martensitic steels with different carbon contents were prepared to investigate the microstructure and mechanical property changes with decreasing carbon content. It has been found that both steels had the microstructure of full martensite with fine nitrides dispersed homogeneously in the matrix and displayed extremely high strength but poor toughness. Compared with the steel with low carbon content (0.005 pct in wt pct), the steel with high carbon content (0.012 pct in wt pct) had not only the higher strength but also the higher impact toughness and grain coarsening temperature, which was related to the carbon content. On the one hand, carbon reduction led to Ta-rich inclusions; on the other hand, the grain grew larger when normalized at high temperature because of the absence of Ta carbonitrides, which would decrease impact toughness. The complicated Al₂O₃ inclusions in the two steels have been revealed to be responsible for the initiated cleavage fracture by acting as the critical cracks.     

Thermal treatment improving creep properties of nitrogen-added Mod.9Cr-1Mo steels

Generation IV reactors are being developed to produce a reliable energy safely and with an economic benefit, because nuclear energy is being seriously considered to meet the increasing demand for a world-wide energy supply without environmental effects. Ferritic/martensitic steels are attracting attention as candidate materials for the Gen-IV reactors due to their high strength and thermal conductivity, low thermal expansion, and good resistance to corrosion. In recent years, new ferritic/martensitic steels have been developed for ultra supercritical fossil power plants through advanced technologies for steel fabrication. The microstructural stability of these materials for the pressure vessel, cladding and core structure of the VHTR and SFR is very important. Nitrogen is a precipitation hardening element, and the thermal stability of nitrides is superior to that of carbides. So the formation of nitrides may improve the thermal stability of the microstructure and eventually increase the creep rupture strength of high Cr steels. The effect of nitrogen on the creep rupture strength and microstructure evolution of nitrogen-added Mod.9Cr-1Mo steels has been studied. Creep testing was carried out at 873 and 923 K under constant load conditions. The optimum controlled Cr₂X precipitates were developed by special heat treatment, and they were not dissolved after a creep deformation. These fine and stable Cr₂X precipitates contributed to the increase of the creep rupture strength. The prior austenite grain size and martensite lath width were decreased by the resultant stable nitrides.     

The asquenched microstructure and tempering behavior of rapidly solidified tungsten steels

Transmission electron microscopy, and microhardness testing were used to examine the as-quenched structure and mechanical properties of a series of rapidly solidified (RS) iron-tungsten-carbon-alloys ranging from 6 to 23 pct tungsten with a constant W:C atomic ratio of 2:1, and Tl high speed tool steel. The RS iron-tungsten-carbon alloys were found to exhibit a significant change in microstructure and hardness as the tungsten and carbon content was increased. The change in morphology was from lath martensite in the lower tungsten alloys to a solidification structure of δ-ferrite cells surrounded by austenite and M₆C carbide, in the higher tungsten alloys. A model is proposed to explain the morphologicl change. In addition, the tempering behaviors of RS Fe-6.2 wt pct W-0.21 wt pct C, Fe-23 wt pct W-0.75 wt pct C and Tl high speed tool steel were examined and compared to those observed for the conventional solution-treated and quenched alloys. A discussion is also included on the microstructural dependence upon cooling rate of RS high speed tool steels. formerly of School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, England.     

Interrelations of cooling rate,microstructure, and mechanical properties in four HSLA steels

The present study was carried out on four steels containing 0.1 pct C-1.5 pct Mn-0.003 pct B* in common, with additions of 1 pct Cr, 0.5 pct Mo, 0.25 pct Mo + 1 pct Cr, 0.2 pct Ti + 1 pct Cr. They were designated, accordingly, as Cr, Mo, Mo-Cr, and Cr-Ti steels. All the steels exhibited a complete lath martensite microstructure with thin interlaths of retained austenite (≈0.05 pct) in the quenched condition. The normalized microstructures, granular bainite, contained massive areas of ferrite and granules of bainite laths. Both microconstituents contained a fine dispersion of cementite particles (size ≈50 Å) together with high dislocation densities. A mechanism explaining their for-mation has been given. The Cr steel, due to its low hardenability, showed in addition polygonal ferrite in the neighborhood of the so-called M-A constituent (twinned martensite and/or austenite). The annealed microstructure (using a cooling rate of 0.033 °C s^?1) of the Cr steel consisted of coarse ferrite-pearlite. Addition of 0.2 pct Ti to the Cr steel markedly refined the structure, whereas an addition of 0.25 pct Mo altered the microstructure to ferrite-lower bainite. In the 0.5 pct Mo steel, polygonal ferrite was found to be completely missing. The mechanical properties of the four steels after quenching, normalizing, and annealing were investigatedvia hardness and tensile test mea-surements. An empirical equation, relating the ultimate tensile strength to the steel composition, for steels that had granular bainite microstructures in the normalized condition, was proposed. The fracture surfaces exhibited cleavage and variable-size dimples depending on the microstructure and steel composition.     

超高强韧油井管合金设计与高强韧机制

 为了揭示1 000 MPa级低碳加铌钒钛微合金钢的高强韧机制,研究了S1(w(C)=0.09%)与S2(w(C)=0.17%)两种合金成分的油井管钢成分-工艺-组织-性能关系。试验表明,两种成分试验钢经水淬后的组织分别为板条贝氏体加少量马氏体和马氏体加少量贝氏体的复相组织。两种成分钢经过450~600 ℃、30 min的中温回火后,组织中均出现碳化物析出,且S1试验钢回火后的屈服强度基本不变,抗拉强度下降了约70 MPa,S2试验钢回火后的屈服强度与抗拉强度迅速升高170 MPa左右。溶度积公式的计算结果表明,两种钢的水淬组织中铌、钛元素析出彻底且析出物的体积分数都很小,因此回火铁素体基体中的VC析出强化对S1试验钢回火后屈服强度保持不变以及S2试验钢回火后屈服、抗拉强度提高起到重要作用。     

Effect of Sb,P, Sn and B on the microstructure and creep properties of normalized and tempered 1.25 Cr−0.5 Mo Steels

A program to study the effect of Sb, P, Sn and B on creep properties of four normalized and tempered 1.25 Cr−0.5 Mo steels at 538°C (1000°F) has been completed. Results show that even a combined addition of large amounts of Sb, P and Sn does not affect short time creep strength or ductility of the steel at 538°C (1000°F). Addition of B resulted in an increase or decrease of creep strength depending on the nature of the impurity species present, presumably due to B-impurity interactions. Regardless of the effect on creep strength, B additions caused sharp reductions in rupture ductility in all cases. Comparison of the present results on the four laboratory steels (100 pct bainite) with results of a previous study on a commercial steel (60 pct bainite + 40 pct ferrite) show that the effect of microstructure becomes negligible and rupture strength values of the various steels at 538°C (1000°F) approach each other at rupture times in excess of 10⁴ h.     

Effect of Sb, P, Sn and B on the microstructure and creep properties of normalized and tempered 1.25 Cr-0.5 Mo steels

A program to study the effect of Sb, P, Sn and B on creep properties of four normalized and tempered 1.25 Cr-0.5 Mo steels at 538°C (1000°F) has been completed. Results show that even a combined addition of large amounts of Sb, P and Sn does not affect short time creep strength or ductility of the steel at 538°C (1000°F). Addition of B resulted in an increase or decrease of creep strength depending on the nature of the impurity species present, presumably due to B-impurity interactions. Regardless of the effect on creep strength, B additions caused sharp reductions in rupture ductility in all cases. Comparison of the present results on the four laboratory steels (100 pct bainite) with results of a previous study on a commercial steel (60 pct bainite + 40 pct ferrite) show that the effect of microstructure becomes negligible and rupture strength values of the various steels at 538°C (1000°F) approach each other at rupture times in excess of 10⁴ h.     

淬火温度对不同铬含量的低碳马氏体不锈钢组织和性能的影响

摘要：为研究淬火温度对不同铬含量的马氏体不锈钢组织和性能的影响,采用高温共聚焦显微镜(CLSM)、光镜(OM)、扫描电镜(SEM)、万能拉伸机、显微硬度计等方法对材料组织和性能进行了测试及表征。随着淬火温度的升高,不锈钢淬火后的晶粒尺寸都变大,计算确定了13%Cr和14%Cr不锈钢的晶界迁移能分别为113.62和125.92J/mol。13%Cr不锈钢经过淬火后显微组织为板条马氏体,回火后的组织为回火马氏体。但是,14%Cr不锈钢在1200℃淬火后生成了板条马氏体和少量的高温铁素体,并且在回火后高温铁素体并未消失,会对后续性能产生影响。淬火温度对不锈钢的强度影响不大。不锈钢中的铬质量分数从13%增加至14%,马氏体不锈钢强度增加,但伸长率有所降低。马氏体不锈钢的硬度随淬火温度的升高而下降,这主要与晶粒尺寸有关。     

The role of microstructural instability on creep behavior of a martensitic 9Cr-2W steel

The microstructural instability during creep and its effect on creep behavior were investigated for a martensitic 9Cr-2W steel. The steel was developed as a low radioactive steel suitable for fusion reactor structure. Creep testing was carried out at 873 K for up to 15,100 ks (4200 hours). The creep curve consisted of transition creep, where creep rate decreased with time, and acceleration creep, where creep rate increased with time. During creep, microstructural instability, such as the recovery of dislocations, the agglomeration of carbides, and the growth of martensite lath subgrains, was observed to occur, which resulted in softening but no hardening. The transition creep was a consequence of the movement and annihilation of excess dislocations, resulting in the decrease in dislocation density and the increase in martensite lath size with time. The acceleration creep was a consequence of a gradual loss of creep strength due to the microstructural instability which occurred from the initial stage of creep.     

回火温度对Cu-Cr-Ti马氏体耐磨钢组织及强韧性的影响

摘要：矿山机械用耐磨钢构件服役环境恶劣而常常出现磨损失效,研究适用于复杂工况下的高耐磨钢成分、工艺与组织性能的关系,有利于提高耐磨构件的服役寿命并降低经济损失。利用SEM、TEM、洛氏硬度计、万能拉伸试验机及冲击试验机等,研究了160～400℃不同回火温度下Cu-Cr-Ti马氏体耐磨钢的组织形貌、强度硬度及-20℃冲击韧性的变化。结果表明,试验钢淬火态组织主要为板条马氏体,当回火温度为160℃时,马氏体板条依然清晰,但随回火温度升高到400℃,马氏体板条界渐渐消失,基体中出现大量片状或粒状渗碳体。EDS分析发现样品钢基体中含有纳米级Ti、Nb的碳氮化物。随回火温度升高,基体组织演变导致强化机制发生变化,回火温度为300℃,综合力学性能最佳,其抗拉强度为1500MPa,屈服强度1100MPa,伸长率为15.5%。随回火温度升高,-20℃冲击韧性由60J/cm2逐渐降低到36.3J/cm2。     

Fatigue behavior of a precipitation hardening Ni-Al-Cu medium carbon steel

The fatigue behavior of an Fe-0.3 wt pct C-4 wt pct Ni-1 wt pct Al-1 wt pct Cu precipitation hardening steel was investigated in three different heat treated conditions which give similar tensile strengths but different microstructures. One heat treatment produced a lightly tempered lath martensite having fine carbides and a high dislocation density. The other two heat treatments produced highly tempered martensite with coarse carbides, fine intermetallic precipitates and a relatively low dislocation density. The steel in the lightly tempered condition showed marked softening on strain cycling while the highly tempered conditions resulted in both hardening and softening. The lightly tempered structure had better low cycle fatigue resistance but the two highly tempered structures had better high cycle resistance. The dislocation substructure in the lightly tempered steel rearranges itself and accommodates plastic strain during cyclic deformation while the substructure in the highly tempered structures containing fine precipitates resists rearrangement. This difference is suggested as the reason for the differences in behavior. The three conditions show little variation in their resistance to fatigue crack propagation. However, the highly tempered, precipitate containing structures were much more resistant to fatigue crack initiation in notched specimens. Former Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Walter P. Murphy Professor of Materials Science and Engineering     

Influence of Prior Fatigue Cycling on Creep Behavior of Reduced Activation Ferritic-Martensitic Steel

Creep tests were carried out at 823 K (550 °C) and 210 MPa on Reduced Activation Ferritic-Martensitic (RAFM) steel which was subjected to different extents of prior fatigue exposure at 823 K at a strain amplitude of ±0.6 pct to assess the effect of prior fatigue exposure on creep behavior. Extensive cyclic softening that characterized the fatigue damage was found to be immensely deleterious for creep strength of the tempered martensitic steel. Creep rupture life was reduced to 60 pct of that of the virgin steel when the steel was exposed to as low as 1 pct of fatigue life. However, creep life saturated after fatigue exposure of 40 pct. Increase in minimum creep rate and decrease in creep rupture ductility with a saturating trend were observed with prior fatigue exposures. To substantiate these findings, detailed transmission electron microscopy studies were carried out on the steel. With fatigue exposures, extensive recovery of martensitic-lath structure was distinctly observed which supported the cyclic softening behavior that was introduced due to prior fatigue. Consequently, prior fatigue exposures were considered responsible for decrease in creep ductility and associated reduction in the creep rupture strength.     

回火温度对淬火后30MnB5热成形钢组织与性能影响

将30MnB5热成形钢进行淬火和回火处理,利用扫描电镜、透射电镜、能谱仪和拉伸性能检测等方法研究了不同回火温度后的显微组织和力学性能变化.经200℃保温2 min回火后热成形钢的综合力学性能最佳,抗拉强度为1774 MPa,总伸长率为8%,强塑积达14 GPa·%以上,该性能满足热成形后作为汽车结构件的使用要求;并且随着回火温度的升高,力学性能呈非单调性变化.200℃低温回火后,主要为板条马氏体和ε碳化物,位错密度略有降低,析出的ε碳化物粒子呈针状分布在马氏体板条内,长度方向大小为100 nm左右,并与位错发生钉扎作用.随着回火温度的升高,板条马氏体发生回复和再结晶,板条边界逐渐模糊,并向等轴状铁素体转变,位错密度显著降低,ε碳化物逐渐向低能态的近球形渗碳体转变并粗化至200 nm左右,对位错的钉扎作用也随之减弱.      

Effect of fine precipitation and subsequent coarsening of Fe<Subscript>2</Subscript>W laves phase on the creep deformation behavior of tempered martensitic 9Cr-W steels

The effect of fine precipitation and subsequent coarsening of Fe₂W Laves phase on the creep deformation behavior was investigated for simple 9Cr-W steels containing 0, 1, 2, and 4 wt pct W. After tempering, the specimens were subjected to creep tests at 823, 873, and 923 K for up to 15,000 hours. The precipitation of Fe₂W Laves phase takes place during creep at boundaries from the supersaturated solid solution of the high-W steels, the 9Cr-2W and 9Cr-4W steels, but not in the low-W steels, the 9Cr-0W and 9Cr-1W steels. The fine precipitation of Fe₂W Laves phase decreases the creep rate in the primary or transient creep region, while the subsequent large coarsening of Fe₂W Laves phase reduces the precipitation strengthening and promotes the acceleration of creep rate in the tertiary or acceleration creep region after reaching a minimum creep rate. The change in shape of creep rate curves with stress and temperature is explained by taking fine precipitation and subsequent coarsening of Fe₂W Laves phase into account.     

Response of Phase Transformation Inducing Heat Treatments on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Reduced Activation Ferritic-Martensitic Steels of Varying Tungsten Contents

Microstructure and mechanical properties of 9Cr-W-0.06Ta Reduced Activation Ferritic-Martensitic (RAFM) steels having various tungsten contents ranging from 1 to 2 wt pct have been investigated on subjecting the steels to isothermal heat treatments for 5 minutes at temperatures ranging from 973 K to 1473 K (700 °C to 1200 °C) (below Ac₁ to above Ac₃) followed by oil quenching and tempering at 1033 K (760 °C) for 60 minutes. The steels possessed tempered martensite structure at all the heat-treated conditions. Prior-austenitic grain size of the steels was found to decrease on heating in the intercritical temperature range (between Ac₁ and Ac₃) and at temperatures just above the Ac₃ followed by increase at higher heating temperatures. All the steels suffered significant reduction in hardness, tensile, and creep strength on heating in the intercritical temperature range, and the reduction was less for steel having higher tungsten content. Strength of the steels increased on heating above Ac₃ and was higher for higher tungsten content. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) investigations of the steels revealed coarsening of martensitic substructure and precipitates on heating in the intercritical temperature range, and the coarsening was relatively less for higher tungsten content steel, resulting in less reduction in tensile and creep strength on intercritical heating. Tensile and creep strengths of the steels at different microstructural conditions have been rationalized based on the estimated inter-barrier spacing to dislocation motion. The study revealed the uniqueness of inter-barrier spacing to dislocation motion in determining the strength of tempered martensitic steels subjected to different heat treatments.