Investigation on the strengthening mechanism of S30432 austenitic heat-resistant steel

From the viewpoint of energy-saving and environment protection,it is necessary to develop Ultra Super Critical（USC） fossil-fired power plants.In order to ensure the reliable operation of power plants under high steam conditions,good mechanical properties（particularly high creep strength）,corrosion resistance and fabricability are generally required for the heat resistant steels used in USC boilers.Among these heat-resistant steels,S30432 austenitic heat-resistant steels are of interest due to high creep strength,excellent oxidation and corrosion resistance at temperatures up to 650 -700℃.In this paper,the strengthening mechanism of S30432 austenitic heat-resistant steel was investigated based on the precipitation behavior of S30432 during aging and creep at 650℃.Results show that the microstructure of as-supplied S30432 steel is austenite,the main precipitation consists of only Nb（C,N）.After aged for 10 000 h or crept for 10 712 h,there is a slight increase in the size of fine Nb（C,N）,but the transformation from Nb（C,N） to NbCrN does not occur.Aging and creep results in the precipitation ofε-Cu and M₂₃C₆.The coarsening velocity ofε-Cu particles diminishes greatly and they are still very fine in the long-term creep range.With the increase of aging and creep time M₂₃C₆ carbides tend to coarsen gradually.The size of M₂₃C₆ is larger and the coarsening is easier in contrast toε-Cu and Nb（C,N）.Nb（C,N） precipitates in the as-supplied microstructure,while aging and creep result in the precipitation ofε-Cu and M₂₃C₆.High creep rupture strength of S30432 steel is attributed to the precipitation hardening ofε-Cu,Nb（C,N） and M₂₃C₆.Extremely,ε-Cu plays an important role in improving the creep rupture strength of S30432,and at least 61%of the creep rupture strength of S30432 at 650℃results from the precipitation hardening ofε-Cu particles.     

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Martensitic Stainless Steel 6Crl5MoV

 Martensitic stainless steel containing Cr of 12% to 18% (mass percent) are common utilized in quenching and tempering processes for knife and cutlery steel. The properties obtained in these materials are significantly influenced by matrix composition after heat treatment, especially as Cr and C content. Comprehensive considered the hardness and corrosion resistance, a new type martensitic stainless steel 6Cr15MoV has been developed. The effect of heat treatment processes on microstructure and mechanical properties of 6Cr15MoV martensitic stainless steel is emphatically researched. Thermo-Calc software has been carried out to thermodynamic calculation; OM, SEM and TEM have been carried out to microstructure observation; hardness and impact toughness test have been carried out to evaluate the mechanical properties. Results show that the equilibrium carbide in 6Cr15MoV steel is M23C6 carbide, and the M23C6 carbides finely distributed in annealed microstructure. 6Cr15MoV martensitic stainless steel has a wider quenching temperature range, the hardness value of steel 6Cr15MoV can reach to HRC 608 to HRC 616 when quenched at 1060 to 1100 ℃. Finely distributed carbides will exist in quenched microstructure, and effectively inhabit the growth of austenite grain. With the increasing of quenching temperature, the volume fraction of undissolved carbides will decrease. The excellent comprehensive mechanical properties can be obtained by quenched at 1060 to 1100 ℃ with tempered at 100 to 150 ℃, and it is mainly due to the high carbon martensite and fine grain size. At these temperature ranges, the hardness will retain about HRC 592 to HRC 616 and the Charpy U-notch impact toughness will retain about 173 to 20 J. A lot of M23C6 carbides precipitated from martensite matrix, at the same time along the boundaries of martensite lathes which leading to the decrease of impact toughness when tempered at 500 to 540 ℃. The M3C precipitants also existed in the martensite matrix of test steel after tempered at 500 ℃, and the mean size of M3C precipitates is bigger than that of M23C6 precipitates.     

Phase Transformation of a Cold Work Tool Steel during Tempering

The hardness and microstructure evolution of a 8% Cr cold work tool steel during tempering for 40 h were investigated. Transmission electron microscope examinations showed that M_3C carbides precipitated from supersaturated martensite after tempering at 350 ℃. When the tempering temperature was higher than 520 ℃,the M_(23)C_6 carbides precipitated to substitute for M_3C carbides. After ageing at the temperature of 520 ℃ for 40 h,it was observed that very fine and dense secondary Mo_2C precipitates were precipitated. Thus,it can be concluded that the early stage of Mo_2C-carbide precipitation is like to be Gunier-Preston( G-P) zone formed by [Mo-C] segregation group which is responsible for the secondary hardening peak at 520 ℃. Overageing at 700 ℃ resulted in recovery of martensitic microstructure and precipitation of M_(23)C_6 carbides.When ageing at 700 ℃ for more than 20 h,recrystallization occurred,which resulted in a change of the matrix morphology from martensitic plates to equiaxed ferrite. It was noticed that the size of recrystallized grain / subgrain was very fine,which was attributed to the pinning effect of M_(23)C_6 precipitates.     

Tempering Behavior of 45Cr-2W-0.25V Steel

 In this research the tempering behavior of a Cr-W-V steel was investigated. This new alloy with the composition of Fe-4.5Cr-2W-0.25V-0.1C was austenitized at 1000°C for 30 min and tempered at 500°C to 700°C for different times up to 100h. An OM analysis of the microstructure of air cooled and water quenched specimens before tempering showed that although in both conditions fully martensitic matrix formed, finer structure had formed in the water quenched specimens. The XRD and TEM results showed that the most stable carbides formed during tempering of the steel were M23C6 and M7C3, respectively. Other carbides such as M3C and M2C, formed in the first stages of tempering, and stable MC were also observed. The results showed that when the tempering time, temperature and cooling rate were increased, weight percent of extracted precipitates was increased. In addition, the formation rate of the stable carbides such as M23C6 and dissolution rate of the metastable carbides such as M3C and M2C were increased. The hardness results was revealed that tempering at 600°C and 700°C result in gradual decrease in hardness, but didn't observed significant changes in hardness at 500°C even for long tempering times.     

Tempering Behavior of 4.5Cr-2W-0.25V Steel

The tempering behavior of a Cr-W-V steel was investigated in this research.This new alloy with the composition of Fe-4.5Cr-2W-0.25V-0.1C was austenitized at 1000 ℃ for 30 min and tempered at 600 and 700 ℃ for different time up to 100 h.An OM analysis of the microstructure of air cooled and water quenched specimens before tempering showed that although under both conditions fully martensitic matrix formed,finer structure had formed in the water quenched specimens.The XRD and TEM results showed that the most stable carbides formed during tempering of the steel were M23C6 and M7C3,respectively.Other carbides such as M3C and M2C,formed in the first stages of tempering,and stable MC were also observed.The results showed that when the tempering time,temperature and cooling rate were increased,mass percent of extracted precipitates was increased.In addition,the formation rate of the stable carbides such as M23C6 and dissolution rate of the metastable carbides such as M3C and M2C were increased.     

Ripening behavior of M_(23)C_6 carbides in P92 steel during aging at 800°C

The rapid coarsening of the M_(23)C_6 carbides has been held responsible for the creep fracture in 9-12Cr martensitic heat resistant steels.A commercial P92 steel was subjected to thermal aging at a high temperature of 800°C to investigate the ripening behavior of the M_(23)C_6 carbides.Scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM)were employed to characterize the microstructure evolution,especially the ripening process of the M_(23)C_6 carbides.The new concept of the effective mean size,dependent on the critical radius,was introduced to correct the measured mean size and then the Ostwald theory was applied to describe the ripening behavior of the M_(23)C_6 carbides.The ripening of the M_(23)C_6 carbides was revealed to be grain boundary diffusion controlled.     

Microstructure Evolution and Mechanical Properties of HR3C Steel during Long-term Aging at High Temperature

Microstructure evolution and the changes in mechanical properties of HR3 Csteel during long-term aging at650,700 and 750℃ were investigated.The precipitated phases of the aging steel included M23C6 carbides,Z-phase and a trace amount of Nb(C,N).The M23C6 carbides were distributed mainly at the grain boundary,while Z-phase was mainly inside the grains.Amounts of both M23C6 carbides and Z-phase during the aging process increased with increasing aging period and temperature.Coarsening of M23C6 carbides was influenced significantly by aging time and temperature,while the size of the Z-phase was relatively less affected by the aging time and temperature,which had a steady strengthening effect.Coarsening of the M23C6 carbides was the main reason for the decline in high temperature yield strength during long-term aging at 750℃.The M23C6 carbides were linked into a continuous chain along the grain boundary which accounted for the decrease of toughness during aging.     

Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure of Modified Cast AISI D3 Cold Work Tool Steel

 High chromium high carbon AISI D3 steel is used as cold-work tools and dies in industry. Microstructure of this wrought steel usually consists of chromium carbides homogenously dispersed in a ferritic or martensitic matrix. On the other hand, a eutectic network consisting of chromium carbide and austenite forms in a cast D3 steel, at the end of solidification due to the segregation of carbon and chromium. This heterogeneous microstructure gives rise to the reduced mechanical properties such as toughness, impact strength, and tensile strength. In this research, modified AISI D3 steel was developed by replacing part of Cr with Nb and Ti, in which chromium carbide was partially replaced with MC carbides. The cast samples produced by investment casting were heat treated at different conditions. The microstructures of the samples were studied by light and scanning electron microscope attached with EDS analyzer. To determine the optimized homogenizing process, the effects of homogenizing treatment on the microstructure and the morphology of carbides were also studied.     

Effect of quenching and tempering processes on properties and microstructure of G115 steel

The novel martensitic heat-resistant steel G115 was designed for thick-section boiler components of ultra-supercritical(USC) power plants at 630-650 ℃.The impact of the quenching and tempering processes on the properties and microstructure of G115 steel was explored.The samples that were quenched and tempered twice had a higher tensile strength at room temperature and 650 ℃,and the impact energy was significantly improved.The strength and impact energy increased in proportion to the increase in ...     

Influence of rare earths on eutectic carbides in AISI M2 high speed steel

The effect of rare earths on the morphology and microstructure of eutectic carbides in M2 high speed steel was studied. The results showed that rare earths promoted the formation of fishbone-like M6C eutectic carbides, compared to plate-like M2C carbides in ingots without modification. The formation of M6C was expected to be caused by rare earth inclusions which acted effectively as the substrate for nucleation of M6C carbides during solidification. M2C and M6C eutectic carbides exhibited different stability during heating. M2C eutectic carbides were much less stable than M6C carbides, and decomposed at high temperatures, favoring the spheroidization and refinement of carbides in high speed steels.     

Evolution and Coarsening of Carbides in 2.25Cr-1Mo Steel Weld Metal During High Temperature Tempering

Transformation and coarsening of carbides in 2.25Cr-1Mo steel weld metal during tempering at 700 ℃ for different time intervals ranging from 1 to 150 h were examined by transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. M3C carbides were observed in the as-welded specimens and when tempered, the precipitates were mainly composed of M3C, M7C3, and M23C6 carbides. A sequence for corresponding carbide transformation during tempering with initial precipitation of M3C and the subsequent precipitation of M7C3 and M23C6 was proposed. The precipitation of M7C3 with higher chromium content was the main factor contributing to the decrease in coarsening rate of precipitates after prolonged tempering. The decrease in hardness of the tempered specimens agreed well with the prediction of the weakening of precipitation strengthening owing to the coarsening of carbides.     

Effect of Mischmetal on As-cast Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of M2 High Speed Steel

High speed steel has been widely used in various fields due to their excellent red hardness and good wear resistance.However,the influence of mischmetal(Ce-La)on the as-cast microstructures and mechanical properties of high speed steel has rarely been reported.Thus,the microstructure and mechanical properties of M2 high speed steel with addition of mischmetal(Ce-La)were investigated.The morphology and distribution of the eutectic carbides of the steel were observed by using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy,and the impact toughness and bending strength were tested.The results show that adding mischmetal has an obvious effect on the microstructure and mechanical properties of M2 high speed steel.The coarse eutectic structure is refined,the weak connection of the carbide networks is broken and the flake carbides become short and fine.More networks of eutectic carbides dissolve into the matrix.When a suitable adding content of mischmetal is selected,for example,0.3mass%,the impact strength and bending strength can increase by 27% and 10.76% compared with that without mischmetal,respectively.     

Microstructure characteristics of spray-formed high vanadium and cobalt high speed steel

The microstructure of high vanadium and cobalt high speed steel(high-V/Co HSS) and the morphology of its carbides were analyzed by optical microscope(OM),scanning electron microscope(SEM),electron probe microanalysis(EPMA),X-ray power diffraction(XRD),atomic force microscopy(AFM) and single phase erosion(SPE).The results suggest that the as-sprayed high-V/Co HSS has fine equiaxed grains(about 20 μm in size),which were homogeneously distributed.The carbides have two classical morphologies:one is fine particles(about 2 μm in size) distributed along the grain boundaries and the other is needle-like one,distributed on the grain boundaries.There are MC carbides,M2C carbides,M6C carbides and Cr2WC2 carbides in the as-sprayed high-V/Co HSS samples,however,in the as-cast high-V/Co HSS,there are MC carbides and Cr2WC2 carbides only.The SPE results show that there are two types of MC carbides in the as-sprayed HSS:the sphere one and the particle-like one.The former is about 2 μm in size and the latter is less than 1 μm,dispersed inside the grains,quite different from the MC carbides in the as-cast HSS.According to the AFM results,the skeleton-like M6C carbides of the as-sprayed high-V/Co HSS are embedded in the matrix along the grain boundaries.It is found that there are sharp membrane pieces on the carbides.Some small bamboo-shoot-like MC carbides grow from the matrix and are dispersed inside the grain.Those larger MC carbides are spherical particles embedded at the grain boundary junctions.     

A New Approach for Refining Carbide Dimensions in M42 Super Hard High-speed Steel

Obtaining small carbides is crucial but difficult for high-speed steels.A new approach for refining carbide dimensions in M42 super hard high-speed steel by increasing cooling rate and spheroidizing treatment was proposed. The morphologies and properties of eutectic carbides formed at different cooling rates were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM),energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS),X-ray diffraction (XRD),transmis-sion electron microscopy (TEM),electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD)and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC).The results show that eutectic carbides change from a lamellar shape into a curved-rod shape as cooling rate increases.Despite different morphologies,the two carbides are both of M2 C type with a hexagonal close-packed structure and display a single crystal orientation in one eutectic colony.The morphology of M2 C mainly depends on the growing process of eutectic carbides,which is strongly influenced by cooling rate.Compared with lamellar car-bides,M2 C carbides with curved-rod shapes are less stable,and decompose into M6 C and MC at lower temperatures. They are more inclined to spheroidize during heating,which ultimately and distinguishably refines the carbide dimen-sions.As small carbides are much easier to dissolve into matrices during austenization,the process described herein improves the supersaturation of alloying elements in martensite,which leads to an increment of hardness in M42 steel.     

Rapid solidification of martensitic stainless steel atomized droplets

The microstructure of martensitic stainless steel powders produced by inert gas atomization was investigated. Depending upon the powder particle size, the microstructure was found to exhibit a cellular, dendritic, or martensitic morphology. Relationships between the microstructure scale and the particle diameter were identified. It was found that at a critical particle diameter of 25 to 30 μm, the structure changed from cellular/dendritic (96.5 vol pct bcc and 3.5 vol pct fcc) to martensite. The solidification path of the powder particles below and above 25 to 30 μm in size was considered. High-temperature X-ray diffraction (HTXRD) measurements revealed that there is a delay in the appearance of the fcc phase for the small particle size. The delay in the appearance of the fcc phase is a result of different nucleation sites for the fcc phase between the large and the small particle size.     

Influences of Austenization Temperature and Annealing Time on Duplex Ultrafine Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Medium Mn Steel

A duplex ultrafine microstructure in a medium manganese steel(0.2C-5Mn)was produced by austenite reverted transformation annealing(ART-annealing).The microstructural evolution during annealing was examined by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and X-ray diffraction(XRD).Based on the microstructure examination,it was found that some M3 C type carbides appeared in the martensitic matrix at the beginning of the ART-annealing.But with further increasing annealing time,these carbides would be dissolved and finally disappeared.Meanwhile,the austenite lath was developed in the ART-annealing process and the volume fraction of austenite increased with the increase of the annealing time,which resulted in a duplex microstructure consisting of ultrafine-grained ferrite and large fraction of reverted austenite after long time annealing.The mechanical property examinations by uniaxial tensile tests showed that ART-annealing(6h,650 ℃)resulted in a superhigh product of strength to elongation up to 42GPa·%.     

Effect of Cyclic Annealing on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Medium Carbon Steel

The microstructure and mechanical properties of medium carbon steel after cyclic heat treatment were in-vestigated.The effects of cyclic numbers and long time annealing on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the experimental steel were compared.A short-duration (5 min)holding at 1 023 K (above A1 temperature)and a short-duration (3 min)holding at 893 K are adopted in each cyclic heat treatment.The spheroidization is accelerated during cyclic heat treatment,and the spheroidizing ratio grows with cyclic numbers.After 1 2-cycle heat treatments, there are few incompletely spheroidized regions in the specimens,and cementite lamellae mostly change into cement-ite particles.The morphological character of cementite for 12 cycles is similar to that undergoing annealing for 10 h at 973 K.The strength of the experimental steel after 5-cycle heat treatment is the lowest in the following cyclic heat treatment,but it is still higher than that of specimens with subcritical annealing over a long period (10 h).After 12-cycle heat treatment,the strength of the experimental steel is close to that of the normalized steel,and the plasticity is the best in all heat-treated specimens.     

Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of a new Ni-based heat-resistant alloy during aging at 750℃

Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of a new candidate Ni-based heat-resistant alloy for advanced ultra-supercritical( A-USC) steam turbine rotors were investigated during aging at 750 °C up to 10 000 h. The evolutions of γ' particles inside austenitic grain and M_(23)C_6 carbides along grain boundaries were characterized according to their morphologies,distributions,and growth kinetics. Mean radius of the γ' spherical particles grew from 20. 3 to 90. 0 nm after aging for 10 000 h,and the corresponding coarsening behavior was conformed to the law of Lifschitz-Slyosovd-Wagner( LSW). The weight fraction of γ' particles slightly increased from 10. 0 to 12.0wt. % after aging of long duration at 750 ℃. The Cr-rich M_(23)C_6 carbides discontinuously precipitated along grain boundaries,while other detrimental phases were not formed during the aging treatment,and hence the strength of grain boundary was enhanced by these discontinuously distributed carbides. The critical size of γ' had a direct influence on the maximum hardness of this alloy. Moreover,this alloy presented a good impact toughness for the safety after long time aging at high temperature.     

Effect of long-term service exposure at elevated temperature on microstructural changes of 5Cr-0.5Mo steels

Effects of long-term service exposure at elevated temperature on microstructural changes have been studied for both virgin and service-exposed process heater tube pipes of 5Cr-0.5Mo steels used in oil refineries. Samples selected for this study had experienced a nominal temperature range of 450 °C to 500 °C for about 20 to 25 years. Two different initial virgin microstructures were taken and designated by steel A and steel B. The virgin microstructure of steel A exhibited fine platelets of fibrous or hairlike M₂C carbides within the ferrite grains and occasionally irregularly shaped M₂₃C₆, both along the grain boundaries and at the grain interiors, and very few spheroidally shaped M₃C, either along the grain boundaries or at the grain interiors. The size, shape, position, distribution, and type of carbides in virgin steel A changed significantly due to 220,000 hours of service exposure in the temperature range of 450 °C to 500 °C. Massive M₂₃C₆ carbides precipitated along the grain boundaries. In addition, regular geometrically shaped M₂₃C₆ carbides, such as hexagonal, square, and triangular type, were observed to form at the grain interiors. The virgin steel B microstructure exhibited predominantly M₂₃C₆ carbides, either along the grain boundaries or at the lath boundaries. Occasionally, fine platelets of M₂C carbides were also observed within the laths. The position, shape, distribution, and type of carbides did not change significantly due to 172,000 hours of service exposure in the temperature range of 450 °C to 500 °C. The average interparticle spacings of the carbides increased from 0.35 to 1.2 μm due to 172,000 hours of exposure.     

Microstructure Refinement and Property Improvement of Metastable Austenitic Manganese Steel Induced by Electropulsing

Grain refinement efficiency of electropulsing treatment(EPT)for metastable austenitic manganese steel was investigated.The mean grain size of original austenite is 300μm.However,after EPT,the microstructure exhibits a bimodal grain size distribution,and nearly 70vol.%grains are less than 60μm.The refined austenite results in ultrafine martensitic microstructure.The tensile strengths of refined austenitic and martensitic microstructures were improved from 495to 670,and 794to 900MPa respectively.The fine grained materials possess better fracture toughness.The work-hardening capacity and wear resistance of the refined austenitic microstructure are improved.The reasonable mechanism of grain refinement is the combination of accelerating new phase nucleation and restraining the growth of neonatal austenitic grain during reverse transformation and rapid recrystallization induced by electropulsing.