Structure and mechanical and corrosion properties of new high-nitrogen Cr-Mn steels containing molybdenum

The structure, mechanical properties, and pitting corrosion of nickel-free high-nitrogen (0.8% N) austenitic 06Kh18AG19M2 and 07Kh16AG13M3 steels have been studied in various structural states obtained after hot deformation, quenching, and tempering at 300 and 500°C. Both steels are shown to be resistant to the ?? ?? ?? and ?? ?? ? martensite transformations irrespective of the decomposition of a ?? solid solution (06Kh18AG19M2 steel). Austenite of the steel with 19 wt % Mn shows lower resistance to recrystallization, which provides its higher plasticity (??₅) and fracture toughness at a lower strength as compared to the steel with 13 wt % Mn. Electrochemical studies of the steels tempered at 300 and 500°C show that they are in a stable passive state during tests in a 3.5% NaCl solution and have high pitting resistance up to a potential E _pf = 1.3?C1.4 V, which is higher than that in 12Kh18N10T steel. In the quenched state, the passive state is instable but pitting formation potentials E _pf retain their values. In all steels under study, pitting is shown to form predominantly along the grain boundaries of nonrecrystallized austenite. The lowest pitting resistance is demonstrated by the structure with a double grain boundary network that results from incomplete recrystallization at 1100°C and from the existence of initial and recrystallized austenite in the 07Kh16AG13M3 steel. To obtain a set of high mechanical and corrosion properties under given rolling conditions (1200?C1150°C), annealing of the steels at temperatures no less than 1150°C (for 1 h) with water quenching and tempering at 500°C for 2 h are recommended.     

High-plasticity heat-resistant 03Kh14G16N6Yu-type steels with heat-and deformation-resistant austenite

The structure and mechanical properties of 03Kh14G16N6Yu-type austenitic steels alloyed by molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium, and zirconium are studied after normalization at 1075°C and long-term holding at 500–700°C. The chemical composition of these steels ensures the resistance of their austenite to the martensitic transformation in the temperature range from 1200 to ?196°C and during cold plastic deformation at a reduction of up to 60%. The best combination of the mechanical and technological properties is achieved in a 03Kh15G17N6YuVF steel with 0.08% W and 0.12% V. Long-term (up to 1000 h) holdings at 550–750°C do not cause the precipitation of carbide, nitride, and intermetallic phases in this steel. The long-term strength of the 03Kh15G17N6YuVF steel at temperatures up to 650°C is comparable with and its plasticity and impact toughness are higher than those of high-nickel Kh16N9M2 and Kh16N12M2 steels, which are applied in the main parts of electric power installations.     

Effect of the rolling temperature on the structure and the mechanical properties of high-nitrogen austenitic steels 05Kh21G9N7AMF and 04Kh22G12N4AMF

The structure and the mechanical properties of high-nitrogen austenitic 05Kh21G9N7AMF (0.56% N) and 04Kh22G12N4AMF (0.49% N) steels have been studied after hot rolling. It is found that the temperatures of the onset and end of hot deformation influence the structure and the mechanical properties of these steels. The higher set of mechanical properties of steel 05Kh21G9N7AMF after rolling in the temperature range 1100–900°C is due to the formation of a lamellar and equiaxed fragmented structure.     

Structure and mechanical properties of corrosion-resistant high-nitrogen 04Kh22AG15N8M2F and 05Kh19AG10N7MFB steels after hot deformation

The structure and mechanical properties of corrosion-resistant high-nitrogen austenitic 04Kh22AG15N8M2F and 05Kh19AG10N7MFB steels are studied after hot rolling at 950 and 1100°C. The following specific features of the structure of hot-rolled 04Kh22AG15N8M2F steel are revealed: the presence of coarse grain-boundary precipitates of the molybdenum-rich ?? phase and its nonuniform distribution over the volume of austenite grains. The 05Kh19AG10N7MFB steel hot rolled at 950°C contains ultrafine carbonitrides particles and has the best combination of a high strength and a sufficient elasticity and impact toughness. The structures of the hot-rolled steels have no ferrite, martensite, and traces of recrystallized austenite grains.     

Effect of heat treatment on the structure of high-nitrogen austenitic corrosion-resistant 04Kh22AG17N8M2F and 07Kh20AG9N8MF steels

The structures of high-strength austenitic 04Kh22AG17N8M2F and 07Kh20AG9N8MF steels are studied after various heat-treatment conditions, and the relation between these structures and the mechanical and chemical properties of these steels is analyzed. The phase compositions of the steels, the morphology of phases, the fine structure of austenite, and the mechanism of its decomposition upon heating are investigated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The homogeneous decomposition of the supersaturated γ solid solution in the 04Kh22AG17N8M2F steel at 500 °C is shown to be accompanied by the formation of the CrN nitride, which is isomorphic to the matrix, and to increase the strength and elastic stresses in the austenite, decreasing the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance of the steel. Heating at 800 °C facilitates stress relaxation and increases the SCC resistance of the steel.     

Galvannealing of (High‐)Manganese‐Alloyed TRIP‐ and X‐IP®‐Steel

In this study the influence of Mn on galvannealed coatings of 1.7% Mn‐1.5% Al TRIP‐ and 23% Mn X‐IP®‐steels was investigated. It is shown that the external selective oxides like Mn, Al and Si of the TRIP steel which occur after annealing at 800 °C for 60 s at a dew point (DP) of ‐25 °C (5% H₂) hamper the Fe/Zn‐reaction during subsequent galvannealing. Preoxidation was beneficially utilized to increase the surface‐reactivity of the TRIP steel under the same dew point conditions. The influence of Mn on the steel alloy was investigated by using a 23% Mn containing X‐IP®‐steel which was bright annealed at 1100 °C for 60 s at DP ‐50 °C (5% H₂) to obtain a mainly oxide free surface prior to hot dip galvanizing (hdg) and subsequent galvannealing. As well known from the literature Mn alloyed to the liquid zinc melt stabilizes δ‐phase at lower temperatures by participating in the Fe‐Zn‐phase reactions, it was expected that the metallic Mn of the X‐IP®‐steel increases the Fe/Zn‐reactivity in the same manner. The approximation of the effective diffusion coefficient (D_eff(Fe)) during galvannealing was found to be higher than compared to a low alloyed steel reference. Contrary to the expectation no increased Fe/Zn‐reaction was found by microscopic investigations. Residual η‐ and ζ‐phase fractions prove a hampered Fe/Zn‐reaction. As explanation for the observed hampered Fe/Zn‐reaction the lower Fe‐content of the high‐Mn‐alloyed X‐IP®‐steel was suggested as the dominating factor for galvannealing.     

Influence of deformation on the structure and mechanical and corrosion properties of high-nitrogen austenitic 07Kh16AG13M3 steel

The correlation has been studied between the structure of a high-nitrogen austenitic Cr-Mn-N steel formed in the process of combined hardening treatment, including cold plastic deformation (CPD), and its mechanical and corrosion properties. The structure and properties of commercial high-nitrogen (0.8% N) 07Kh16AG13M3 steel is analyzed after rolling by CPD and aging at 500 and 800°C. It is shown that CPD of the steel occurs by dislocation slip and deformation twinning. Deformation twinning and also high resistance of austenite to martensitic transformations at true strains of 0.2 and 0.4 determine the high plasticity of the steel. The contribution of the structure imperfection parameters to the broadening of the austenite lines during CPD is estimated by X-ray diffraction. The main hardening factor is stated to be lattice microdistortions. Transmission electron microscopy study shows that heating of the deformed steel to 500°C leads to the formation of the intermediate CrN phase by a homogeneous mechanism, and the intermtallic χ phase forms along the austenite grain boundaries in the case of heating at 800°C. After hardening by all investigated technological schemes, exception for aging at 800°C, the steel does not undergo pitting corrosion and is slightly prone to a stress corrosion cracking during static bending tests, while aging at 800°C causes pitting corrosion at a pitting formation potential E _pf = ?0.25 V.     

Use of corrosion-resistant maraging steels in long-lived thread pieces

The effect of isothermal holdings at 350, 500, 580, 660, and 780°C during heating to various sustenitizing temperatures on the grain size, aging processes, structural and mechanical properties, and the stress-strain curves of 03Kh11N10M2T-VD and 03Kh11N8M2F-VD maraging steels with 0.002% B is studied. X-ray diffraction analysis and metallographic examination are performed, and the corrosion and fatigue characteristics of these steels are determined. At the aged state with the maximum strength, the steels exhibit no strain-hardening ability upon tension and retain a high local plastic deformation during necking (ψ ≤ 60%). Preliminary thermal-cycling treatment at 500–800°C causes grain refinement and increases the plastic properties of the steels (the uniform elongation increases to 20%). Isothermal holding during heating to the austenitizing temperature affects an elastoplastic transition at a low tensile strain.     

Advanced reactor vessel steels for reactors with supercritical coolant parameters

A set of studies, tests, and technological works is performed to design promising high-strength vessel steels for reactors with supercritical coolant parameters. Compositions and technological parameters are proposed for the production of reference steel (within the limits of the grade composition of 15Kh2NMFA-A steel) and high-nickel steel. These steels are characterized by high properties, including metallurgical quality and service and technological parameters. Steel of the reference composition has high (higher by 15%) strength properties, improved viscoplastic properties, and ductile–brittle transition temperature t _c of at most–125°C. The strength properties of the high-nickel steel are higher than those of the existing steels by 40–50% and higher than those of advanced foreign steels by 15–20% at ductile–brittle transition temperature t _c of at most–165°C. Moreover, the designed steels are characterized by a low content of harmful impurity elements and nonmetallic inclusions, a fine-grained structure, and a low susceptibility to thermal embrittlement.     

Corrosion behavior of austenitic steels and their components in niobium-containing chloride melts

The mechanism of corrosion of austenitic steels 12Kh18N10T, 10Kh17N13M2T, and 03Kh17N14M3 and metals Cr, Fe, Ni, and Mo in a NaCl-KCl-NbCln (n = 3.5, Nb content is 5 ± 0.1 wt %) melt at 750°C is studied. The metal and steel corrosion rates under these conditions are determined. The character of material fracture and the mechanisms of material corrosion are found.     

Microstructure and properties of hot‐rolled high strength multiphase steels for automotive application

Effects of alloying with combinations of the elements Mo, Cr and B on the bainite transformation behaviour and microstructure of hot‐rolled high strength sheet steels microalloyed with mass contents of Ti and Nb, 0.05 or 0.15 % C and 1.5 % Mn have been studied. The relationships between microstructures formed in the steels coiled at various temperatures and their mechanical properties have been investigated. The 0.15 % C microalloyed steel alloyed with Mo,Cr and B with a complex bainitic microstructure was found to have distinctive high performance behaviour combining continuous yielding, high tensile strength and plasticity after coiling in a wide temperature region. The strain hardening of the micro‐constituents typical for the investigated steels has been analysed to have a better understanding of the mechanical properties of complex phase microstructures in low alloy ferrous alloys. It was found that bainitic ferrite with austenitemartensite islands as a second phase leads to high strength and adequate elongation. The features of the bainite formation in the Mo, Cr and B alloyed CMn steel microalloyed with Ti and Nb during slow cooling from temperatures between 650 and 550 °C was studied by dilatometry.     

Effect of cold plastic deformation on the structure and corrosion resistance of austenitic aging 0Kh18N2A alloy

The effect of deformation on the structure and related chemical properties of an austenitic 0Kh18N2A alloy with an overequilibrium nitrogen content has been studied. Cold plastic deformation at an 8–11% reduction before aging at 350°C is shown to halve the corrosion rate of the alloy as compared to the undeformed state. A thermoplastic treatment by the schedule quenching + aging at 350°C + 20% reduction is found to be more effective: the corrosion rate decreases by an order of magnitude as compared to the undeformed state.     

Properties of P/M Kh25 stainless steel produced by hot forging

Conclusions Using various sintering atmospheres (nitrogen, dissociated ammonia) and heat treatment conditions, it is possible to control the level of mechanical properties of hot-forged P/M Kh25 steel. After annealing, the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of P/M Kh25 steel produced by hot forging are similar to those of solid Kh28 and Kh25T steels. Because of its fine-grained structure, P/M Kh25 steel surpasses solid steels in impact strength.25% Cr grade; Kh25T, Kh27, Kh28, and Kh18N9T, which are also referred to in this article, are 25% Cr-Ti, 27% Cr, 28% Cr, and 18% Cr-9% Ni-Ti grades, respectively — Translator.Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, No. 1(253), pp. 35–39, January, 1984.     

Effect of heat treatment on the fracture toughness of hot-rolled corrosion-resistant austenitic high-nitrogen 0.4Cr20Ni6Mn11Mo2N0.5 steel

The effect of water quenching from rolling heating at 1100°C on the structure, the mechanical properties, and the static fracture toughness of corrosion-resistant austenitic high-nitrogen 0.4Cr20Ni6Mn11Mo2N0.5 steel shot-rolled at 1100–900°C is studied. It is found that, after quenching, the initially hot-deformed steel possesses a quite high fracture toughness, although quenching from 1100°C decreases its fracture toughness by 11.4%. An analysis of fracture surfaces indicates a ductile character of failed quenched steel specimens. The specimens have fracture regions close to a quasi-cleavage at the stage of stable crack growth.     

Efficiently alloyed ultra-cold-resistant steel for containers used to store and transport liquified natural gas

The storage and transport of natural gas in the liquified state (LNG) has become an important issue in connection with the development of new natural-gas fields on the shores of the Barentz Sea in the Artic region. Ferritic nickel-bearing steels 0N6 and 0N9 — which are more efficiently alloyed than austenitic stainless steel 10Kh18N10T — are well-suited for the thick-walled shells of isothermal containers used for LNG storage and transport. These steels have excellent resistance to cold — down to −164°C. The technology developed to make them allows the production of rolled plates that have a thickness of up to 40 mm and meet the requisite standards on mechanical properties and cold resistance. The article examines features of the microstructure of the steels that allow them to resist temperatures down to −164°C. __________ Translated from Metallurg, No. 4, pp. 63–65, April, 2006.     

Phase and structural transformations in corrosion-resistant steels upon high-pressure torsion and heating

High-pressure torsion (HPT) at a pressure of 6 GPa and room temperature is found to form a nanocrystalline structure in corrosion-resistant austenitic 05Kh15N9D2TAMF and 08Kh18N10T steels and a submicrocrystalline structure in corrosion-resistant ferritic 08Kh18T1 steel and armco iron. X-ray diffraction analysis of both austenitic steels reveals the γ → α and γ→ ?→ α martensitic transformations during HPT at room temperature. After HPT, the strain hardening in the austenitic and ferritic steels is approximately the same and mainly determined by nano- and submicrocrystalline structures, and the role of alloying and phase composition weakens. The thermal stability of the hardening in the austenitic and ferritic steels is almost the same, ～400°C. As a result of HPT, the austenitic 08Kh18N10T and ferritic 08Kh18T1 steels acquire an axial texture with the predominant 〈211〉_γ direction in austenite and the 〈110〉_α and 〈311〉_α directions in martensite and ferrite, respectively. The axial texture is retained in both steels up to a heating temperature of 750°C.     

Effect of heat treatment on the mechanical properties and the structure of a high-nitrogen austenitic 02Kh20AG10N4MFB steel

The effect of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of a high-nitrogen austenitic 02Kh20AG10N4MFB steel has been studied in the temperature region 550—1200°C. The yield strength and the ultimate tensile strength are shown to change nonmonotonically as a function of the heat treatment temperature. They sharply decrease in the annealing temperature range 850—900°C, which can demonstrate a change in the character of the structure–phase state of this steel. After annealing at 850—900°C, aging occurs with the precipitation of embrittling phases; at higher annealing temperatures, these particles dissolve and austenite recrystallizes. The study of the stress–strain diagrams makes it possible to find the laws of strain hardening of the 02Kh20AG10N4MFB steel as a function of the heat treatment temperature.     

Effect of heat treatment on the structure and properties of a high-nitrogen austenitic corrosion-resistant 03Kh20AG11N7M2 steel

The structure and mechanical and corrosion properties of a high-strength austenitic 03Kh20AG11N7M2 steel after quenching and aging at 500 and 800°C are analyzed. The phase composition of the steel and the mechanism of the decomposition of austenite during heat treatment are studied by electron-probe microanalysis and transmission electron microscopy. This steel is thermally stable upon heating to 800°C for 1 h and is stable to the γ → α and γ → ɛ martensitic transformation during deformation up to tensile strains leading to fracture. The homogeneous decomposition of a supersaturated γ solid solution at 500°C leads to the formation of disperse CrN nitrides, which increase the strength of the steel and insignificantly decrease its plasticity. In this case, the stress corrosion cracking resistance slightly decreases and the passivation of the steel increases in an corrosive medium without loading.     

The Structure And Properties of a Thermo‐mechanically Processed Low Carbon High Strength Steel

Research efforts were given towards development of low carbon high strength steels since recent past. The present study deals with the development of a low carbon high strength steel alloyed with Mn, Ni, Mo, Cu and microalloyed with Ti and Nb. The steel was subjected to three stage controlled rolling operation followed by accelerated cooling. The structure and properties of the steel at various processing conditions were evaluated. Microstructural observation reveals predominantly lath martensite along with twinned martensite structure at all processing conditions. High strength values at higher finish rolling temperatures have been obtained due to fine martensitic structure along with tiny precipitates of microalloying carbide and carbonitride. The strength value increases marginally at lower finishing temperature due to comparatively finer lath size of martensite and increased precipitation density of carbides, carbonitrides along with Cu particles. The variation in impact toughness properties at different finish rolling temperatures is found to be negligible at ambient and subambient temperatures. The formation of stable and large TiN/TiCN particles during casting have impaired the impact toughness values at ambient and at ‐40°C temperatures.     

Effects of Solution Treatment and Test Temperature on Tensile Properties of High Mn Austenitic Steels

Tensile properties of high Mn austenitic Fe‐26.5Mn‐3.6Al‐2.2Si‐0.38C‐0.005B (HM1) and Fe‐18.9Mn‐0.62C‐0.02Ti‐0.005B (HM2, in mass%) steels after different solution treatments have been investigated. The results show that the solution treatment has a significant influence on microstructure and mechanical properties of the investigated steels. By appropriate solution treatment the product of tensile strength (R_m) and total elongation (A₅₀) of the hot rolled steel can be improved from ? 40000‐50000 MPa% to ? 55000‐65000 MPa% depending on the steel chemical composition. A solution treatment with a very high temperature, e.g. at 1100 °C for the Fe‐18.9Mn‐0.62C‐0.02Ti‐0.005B steel, results in a significant increase in the ?‐martensite fraction during quenching. This deteriorates the ductility of the steel. A solution treatment at low temperature in the austenitic range, e.g. at 700 °C for the Fe‐18.9Mn‐0.62C‐0.02Ti‐0.005B steel, results in a decrease in the grain size of the steel. This suppresses the ?‐martensite transformation during cooling. EBSD measurements revealed the mechanisms contributing to the overall plasticity of the investigated steels on the microscale. The plasticity of the 26.5Mn‐3.6Al‐2.2Si‐0.38C‐0.005B steel is produced mainly by TWIP mechanism under the examined experimental conditions, whereas for the Fe‐18.9Mn‐0.62C‐0.02Ti‐0.005B steel TWIP and TRIP mechanisms occur with different degrees depending on the test temperature of the tensile test.