An improvement in creep strength of thermo-mechanical treated modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint

Modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joints generally experience the type IV premature failure in the intercritical region (ICR) of HAZ under long term creep exposure at high temperature. Possibility of improving the resistance of this joint to type IV cracking through thermo-mechanical treatment (TMT) of the steel has been explored. Weld joints have been fabricated from the TMT and conventional normalized and tempered (NT) steels using electron beam (EB) welding process. Creep tests have been carried out on NT and TMT steels joint at 923 K (650°C) and 110–100 MPa applied stress. Creep rupture life of the TMT weld joint was significantly higher than the NT steel weld joint. Significant variations of microstructural constituents such as M₂₃C₆ precipitate; lath structure and hardness across the joint have been examined in both the joints. The coarser M₂₃C₆ precipitate and lath, and subgrain formation in the ICR resulted in the soft zone formation and was predominant in the ICR of NT steel joint. The enhanced MX precipitation through TMT processing and reduction in coarsening of M₂₃C₆ precipitate under thermal cycle resulted in improved creep rupture strength of TMT steel weld joint.     

Influence of joint thickness on Type IV cracking behaviour of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint

Effect of joint thickness on Type IV cracking behaviour of modified 9Cr-1Mo steel weld joint has been investigated. Creep tests on multi-pass double-V cross weld joint flat specimens of the steel having thicknesses in the range 1–17 mm have been carried out at 923 K (650°C) and 50 MPa stress. Creep rupture life of the weld joint was found to increase with thickness and reached a maximum value around 10 mm of thickness followed by decrease with further increase in thickness. Failure in the weld joints occurred in the soft intercritical region of the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Creep strain localisation was observed at the fractured location and was more in the thinner weld joints than in the thicker weld joint. Creep cavitation in the intercritical region of HAZ close to the unaffected base metal was more extensive at the mid-location of the weld pass, where the HAZ width was relatively larger and hardness was lowest. The type IV cavitation in intercritical HAZ was more extensive in thicker joint, whereas creep strain concentration in the intercritical HAZ was more in thinner weld joint. Creep cavitation in the joint was more pronounced at near mid-thickness locations than those beneath the specimen surface. Joints of intermediate thickness possessed higher creep rupture life because of relatively less accumulation of creep deformation coupled with lower creep cavitation in the intercritical region of HAZ.     

Comparison of creep behaviour of 2.25Cr–1Mo/9Cr–1Mo dissimilar weld joint with its base and weld metals

Abstract

Evaluation of the creep behaviour of 2.25Cr–1Mo and 9Cr–1Mo ferritic steel base metals, 9Cr–1Mo steel weld metal, and 2.25Cr–1Mo/9Cr–1Mo ferritic–ferritic dissimilar weld joints has been carried out at 823 K in the stress range 100–260 MPa. The weld joint was fabricated by shielded metal arc welding using basic coated 9Cr–1Mo electrodes. Investigations of the microstructure and hardness variations across the joint in the as welded, post-weld heat treated (973 K/1 h), and creep tested conditions were performed. The heat affected zone (HAZ) in both the steels consisted of a coarse prior austenitic grain region, a fine prior austenitic grain region, and an intercritical structure. In the post-weld heat treated condition, a white etched soft decarburised zone in 2.25Cr–1Mo steel base metal and a black etched hard carburised zone in 9Cr–1Mo steel weld metal around the weld fusion line developed. Hardness troughs also developed in the intercritical HAZ regions of both the steels. The width of the carburised and decarburised zones and hardness differences of these zones were found to increase with creep exposure. The 9Cr–1Mo steel weld metal showed higher creep strength compared to both the base metals. The 9Cr–1Mo steel base metal exhibited better creep resistance than the 2.25Cr–1Mo steel base metal at lower applied stresses. The dissimilar joint revealed lower creep rupture strength than both the base metals and weld metal. The creep strain was found to concentrate in the decarburised zone of 2.25Cr–1Mo steel and in the intercritical HAZ regions of both the steels. Creep failure in the stress range examined occurred in the intercritical HAZ of 2.25Cr–1Mo steel even though this region showed higher hardness than the decarburised zone. Extensive creep cavitation and cracks were observed in the decarburised zone.     

Mechanical properties characterisation of welded joint of austenitic stainless steel using instrumented indentation technique

The instrumented indentation test is a promising nondestructive technique for evaluating mechanical properties of metallic materials. In this study, the localised mechanical properties of welded joint of 304 austenitic stainless steel were characterised with the instrumented indentation test. The single V-groove welded joint was produced using the electric arc welding. A series of instrumented indentation tests were carried out at different regions, including base material, weld zone and heat-affected zone (HAZ). A soft zone regarding strength properties was found in the coarse-grain HAZ. The results show that the HAZ has the lowest yield strength and tensile strength (263.6 MPa, 652.5 MPa) compared with the base material (307.4 MPa, 807.9 MPa) and the weld zone (285.6 MPa, 702.1 MPa). In addition, characterisations of microstructure, microhardness and conventional tensile tests have been performed for comparison. The results reveal that the localised mechanical properties of welded joint of austenitic stainless steel can be represented effectively with the instrumented indentation technique.     

Effect of microstructure and low cycle fatigue deformation on tensile properties of P91 steel

Isothermal furnace heat treatments were carried out to simulate the microstructures of inter-critical, fine grain and coarse grain heat-affected zones of P91 steel weld joint at different soaking temperatures ranging from just above AC₁ (837 °C) to well above AC₃ (903 °C). Interrupted low cycle fatigue tests were performed on the specimens of P91 steel up to 5 %, 10 %, 30 %, and 50 % of the total fatigue life at the strain amplitude of ±0.6 %, strain rate of 0.003 s⁻¹ and temperatures of 550 °C and 600 °C. Subsequently, tensile tests were conducted on the interrupt tested specimens at the same strain rate and temperatures. Soaking at the inter-critical temperature region reduces / deteriorates the tensile and yield strengths of base metal compared to fine grain and coarse grain regions. The inter-critical heat-affected zone accounted higher damage contribution towards the overall tensile behavior of the actual P91 steel weld joint. Substructural coarsening during strain cycling at elevated temperatures attributes to the rapid reduction in the initial yield strength up to 10 % of fatigue life of P91 steel. A higher amount of plastic strain accumulation during low cycle fatigue deformation resulted in a decrease in fatigue life of the inter-critical heat-affected zone of P91 steel.     

Post weld heat treatment of a niobium stabilized austenitic weld metal

A study has been made of the effects of post weld heat treatments in the range 700°C to 900 °C on the microstructural, impact and creep crack growth properties of a 16Cr-8NI-6Mn-Mo, V, Nb, B austenitic weld metal. These treatments result in the progressive decomposition of delta-ferrite to M₂₃C₆ and a phase as well as enhanced precipitation of NbC; the time- temperature- precipitation characteristics have been determined. Impact energies are severely reduced, whereas the creep crack growth resistance of material heat treated at 800°C or 850°C is significantly better than for the as-deposited weld metal.     

Evaluation of variation of tensile strength across 316LN stainless steel weld joint using automated ball indentation technique

Tensile strength variation across 316LN stainless steel fusion welded joint comprising of base metal, deposited weld metal and heat affected zone (HAZ) has been evaluated by Automated Ball Indentation (ABI) technique. Automated Ball Indentation tests were conducted on the various zones of the steel weld joint at 300, 523 and 923?K. The flow curves obtained from ABI results were consistent with corresponding conventional uniaxial tensile test results. The HAZ exhibited higher tensile strength than the other regions of the steel weld joint at all investigated temperatures. The ratio of ultimate tensile strength to yield stress (YS), which represents the work hardening behaviour, increased with an increase in temperature for the base metal and HAZ; whereas it remained nearly the same for the weld metal.     

Microstructure,hardness and residual stress distribution of dissimilar metal electron beam welds: maraging steel and high strength low alloy steel

Abstract

The present investigation reports on a study that has been taken up to develop an understanding of the electron beam welding characteristics of similar and dissimilar combination of maraging steel and high strength low alloy steel, which are in the hardened condition, i.e. maraging steel, in a solution that was in treated and aged condition, whereas high strength low alloy steel in a quenched and tempered condition before welding. The joint characterisation studies include microstructural examination, microhardness survey across the weldment and measurement of residual stresses. Maraging steel weld metal is under compressive stress rather than tensile stress as observed in low alloy steel welds because the martensite transformation occurs at a relatively low temperature. It has been observed that, in dissimilar metal welds, tensile stress is observed at the fusion boundary of low alloy steel and weld metal, whereas compressive stress is obtained at the location between weld and maraging steel fusion boundary. Dissimilar weldment contains a soft region beside the interface on maraging steel side because of the diffusion of manganese from low alloy steel towards maraging steel. The observed residual stresses, hardness distribution across the similar and dissimilar metal welds are correlated with the observed microstructures.     

Brittle crack-arrest fracture toughness in a high heat-input thick steel weld

Brittle crack-arrest fracture toughness (K_Ia) was determined as a function of the temperature in a large-scale (1 x 1 m) 50-mm thick steel base metal and its high heat-input (32 kJ/mm) weld. An impact initiates crack propagation from a notch at low temperature toward a higher temperature region where the crack stopped due to the improved fracture toughness. The relationship between the toughness and crack-arrest temperature provides the K_Ia at ?10 °C of about 100 MPa√m in the weld specimen, which is a significant decrease compared to that of the base metal (240 MPa√m). Furthermore, the path of the crack propagation was discussed in terms of the grain size, hardness, and Charpy impact energy of the localized crack region.     

Time-independent mechanical properties of a chromium-manganese austenitic steel weldment

Room and elevated (450° C) temperature tensile data and room temperature notch impact data on weld metal and a welded joint of 10 wt % Cr-17.5 wt % Mn austenitic steel, a candidate material for thermonuclear fusion reactor first wall and blanket structures, are reported and discussed in terms of the microstructural features observed.     

Effect of modified austemper on tensile properties of 0·52%C steel

Abstract

The effect of a modified austemper on the tensile properties of 0·52%C steel has been studiedfor the purpose of developing the mechanical properties of upper bainitic steel. The modified austempering treatment involved intercritical annealing at 1018 K in the two phase region offerrite (α) and austenite (γ) followed by austempering at 673 K and subsequent water cooling. The results have been compared with those obtained from conventionally austempered steel, and quenched and tempered steel with a similar ultimate tensile stress. The modified austempered steel consisted of a mixed structure of upper bainite and 10 vol.-% ferrite in which ferrite appeared as layers along the rolling direction. The modified austempering treatment wasfound to significantly increase the product of ultimate tensile stress and total elongation, and also the notch tensile stress at 193 K. Conventional austenitising at 1173 K followed by subcritical annealing at 998 K in the two phase region of ex and y, and then austempering at 673 K and subsequent water cooling produced the same mixed structure of upper bainite and 10 vol.-% ferrite. However, this treatment yielded inferior mechanical properties to those obtained with the modified austempering treatment, independent of the test temperature. The results are described and discussed.

MST/3102     

Surface carburised AISI 8620 steel with dual phase core microstructure

Abstract

In this study, the production of dual phase steel structure in the core of surface carburised AISI 8620 cementation steel and the effect of martensite volume fraction on tensile properties have been investigated. For these purposes, surface carburised (~0·8 wt-%C) specimens were oil quenched from 900°C to obtain a fully martensitic starting microstructure. Then specimens were oil quenched from intercritical annealing temperatures of 731 or 746°C to produce dual phase steel structure in the core of specimens with martensite fractions of ~25 or ~50 vol.-% and nearly wholly martensitic microstructure at the surface. Generally, specimens with dual phase microstructure in the core exhibited slightly lower tensile and yield strengths but superior ductility without sacrificing surface hardness than those specimens with fully martensitic microstructure in the core produced by using conventional heat treatment involving quenching from 850 to 950°C. Also tensile strength increased and ductility decreased with increasing martensite volume fraction.     

Phase transformation and mechanical behaviour of thermo-mechanically controlled processed high-strength multiphase steel

A novel low-alloy high-strength steel [Fe–0.20C–1.65Mn–1.40Si–1.50Al–1.30Cu–1.05Ni–1.07Co (wt%)] has been thermo-mechanically processed with a finish rolling temperature of 850 °C, followed by air cooling and water quenching in order to obtain a good combination of strength and ductility. Phase transformations of the above steel at different cooling rates have been studied and continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagram has been constructed using data, obtained from dilatometric study. The phase field of CCT diagram indicates microstructure changes from a mixture of ferrite and bainite to fully martensite accompanied with the enhancement of hardness with increasing cooling rate. The microstructural investigation at lower cooling rate (≤5 °C/s) suggests the possibility of achieving pearlite-free microstructure by direct air cooling from the austenite region. Directly air-cooled steel has demonstrated primarily ferrite–bainite microstructure, which shows attractive tensile strength (>1050 MPa) and ductility (>15 %). On the other hand, directly water-quenched steels reveal predominantly lath martensitic microstructure with high dislocation density which exhibits higher tensile strength (>1600 MPa) and lower ductility (~12 %). The multiple stages of strain hardening behaviour of the investigated steel under different cooling conditions have been examined with respect to microstructural evolution.     

Transient liquid phase diffusion bonding of oxide dispersion strengthened nickel alloy MA758

Abstract

Transient liquid phase diffusion bonding has been used to join an oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) nickel alloy (MA758) using an amorphous metal interlayer with a Ni–Cr–B–Si composition. A microstructural study was undertaken to investigate the effect of parent metal grain size on the joint microstructure after isothermal solidification. The ODS alloy was bonded both in fine grain and recrystallised conditions at 1100°C for various hold times. The work shows that the final joint grain size is independent of the parent alloy grain structure and the bonding time. However, when the alloy is bonded in the recrystallised condition and given a post-bond heat treatment at 1360°C, the joint grain size increases and a continuous parent alloy microstructure across the joint region is achieved. If MA758 is bonded in the fine grain condition and then subjected to a recrystallising heat treatment at 1360°C, the grains at the joint appear to increase in size with increasing bonding time. The joint grains are generally larger than those produced when the alloy is bonded in the recrystallised condition. The differences in microstructural developments across the joint are discussed in terms of stored strain energy of the parent metal grains.     

Effects of temperature on interface microstructure and strength properties of titanium–niobium stainless steel diffusion bonded joints

Abstract

The effects of temperature on interface microstructure and strength properties of Ti/stainless diffusion bonded joint using Nb interlayer, processed in the temperature range 800–950°C for 1·5 h in vacuum were investigated. The stainless steel/Nb interface is free from intermetallic phase up to 900°C; however, Fe₂Nb+Fe₇Nb₆ phase mixture has been observed at 950°C processing temperature. The Nb/Ti interface is free from intermetallic for all processing temperatures. The maximum tensile strength of ～287 MPa (～90% of Ti) and shear strength ～222 MPa (～75% of Ti) along with 6·9% ductility have been achieved in the diffusion bonded joints, when processed at 900°C. The bonded samples failure takes place through the stainless steel/Nb interface for all processing temperatures during the loading.     

Analysis of sensitization phenomenon in friction stir welded 304 stainless steel

This study evaluates the degree of sensitization (DOS) of 304 stainless steel joined by friction stir welding (FSW). Single-loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation tests were performed using a 0.5 mol/L H₂SO₄ + 0.01 mol/L KSCN solution. Sensitization was promoted by exposition of the stainless steel at temperatures between 400°C and 850°C. The microstructure was characterized using optical microscopy to identify the weld zone and the base metal. The samples treated at 550°C showed the most severe intergranular corrosion. The DOS was lower in the weld zone than in the base metal after heat treatments. This reduction in the DOS for the weld zone indicates that FSW is a beneficial process in joining stainless steel.     

Degradation of mechanical and corrosion resistance properties of AISI 317L steel exposed at 550 °C

The use of austenitic stainless steel type AISI 317L has increased in the last years, in substitution to AISI 316L and other austenitic grades. The higher Mo content (3.0 wt.%. at least) gives higher corrosion resistance to AISI 317L. However, some concern arises when this material is selected to high temperature process services in refineries. Microstructural changes such as chromium carbide precipitation and sigma phase formation may occur in prolonged exposure above 450 °C. In this work, the microstructure evolution of AISI 317L steel during aging at 550 °C was analyzed. Thermodynamic calculations with Thermocalc® and detailed microstructural analysis were performed in steel plate base metal and in weld metal produced by GTAW process. The aging for 200, 300 and 400 h promoted gradual embrittlement and deterioration of corrosion resistance of both weld and base metal. The results show that the selection of AISI 317L steel to services where temperatures can reach 550 °C is not recommended.     

Evolution of microstructure and strength during the ultra-fast tempering of Fe–Mn–C martensitic steels

Ultra-fast tempering cycles, combining a rapid heating rate (R _H = 300 °C/s) from room temperature to a peak temperature within the range 400–700 °C and subsequent rapid cooling, were performed on a Fe–Mn–C martensitic steel. The influence of the peak temperature reached during the cycle was determined on both the tensile properties of the steel and on its microstructure. The mechanisms controlling the microstructural evolution occurring during rapid tempering were studied by combining both TEM observations and 3D reconstructions by FIB/SEM. A theoretical analysis coupled with the acquired experimental data was then proposed to explain the evolution of mechanical properties. The results obtained support the assumption that carbide precipitation during fast tempering plays a key role in the evolution of mechanical properties.     

Effect of weld peak temperature on the microstructure,hardness, and transformation kinetics of simulated heat affected zone of hot rolled ultra-low carbon high strength Ti–Mo ferritic steel

We describe here the microstructural evolution, precipitation behavior, and microhardness in simulated heat affected zone (HAZ) of Ti–Mo ferritic steel with the objective of elucidating the effect of weld peak temperature (PT) and defining the transformation kinetics. The study indicated that the microstructure of the hot rolled steel comprised of polygonal ferrite with average effective grain diameter of 5.5 μm, 85% high angle grain boundary, and high volume fraction of nanoscale (Ti,Mo)C precipitates. The microstructure continued to consist of ferrite when the PT was in the range of 650–1050 °C. However, the microstructure was altered to bainite with increase in the PT to 1350 °C. At PT of 650 °C, the precipitates were stable, while they coarsened at 850 °C, partially dissolved at 1050 °C, and completely dissolved at 1350 °C. The hardness of the subcritical HAZ was marginally decreased because of the addition of Mo, while the intercritical HAZ was softened because of coarsening of nanoscale precipitates. The transformation kinetics was related to prior austenitic grain size, change in C-content, which was controlled by the dissolution of (Ti,Mo)C precipitates, and supercooling.     

Impact and tensile properties of ferrite–martensite dual‐phase steels

The effect of martensite morphology on the impact and tensile properties of dual phase steels with a 0.25 volume fraction of martensite (V_m) under different heat treatments was investigated. These treatments are direct quenching (DQ) and step quenching (SQ) that result in different microstructures and mechanical properties. To process dual phase steels, a low carbon manganese steel was used. At first the banding present in the initial steel was eliminated, then the two different heat treatments were applied. To reach a 0.25 volume fraction of martensite a variation of intercritical annealing temperatures was adopted for both treatments that allowed the evolution of different volume fraction of martensite. Phase analysis showed that an intercritical temperature of 725 °C (between A₃, A₁) gives the desired 0.25 V_m of martensite. A comparison of impact, tensile and ductile–brittle transition temperature (DBTT) indicates that the microstructure of the direct treatment has a better toughness. The DBTT for the DQ and SQ treatment is ?49 and ?6 °C, respectively.