Phase Transformations and Microstructural Evolution of Mo-Bearing Stainless Steels

The good corrosion resistance of superaustenitic stainless steel (SASS) alloys has been shown to be a direct consequence of high concentrations of Mo, which can have a significant effect on the microstructural development of welds in these alloys. In this research, the microstructural development of welds in the Fe-Ni-Cr-Mo system was analyzed over a wide variety of Cr/Ni ratios and Mo contents. The system was first simulated by construction of multicomponent phase diagrams using the CALPHAD technique. Data from vertical sections of these diagrams are presented over a wide compositional range to produce diagrams that can be used as a guide to understand the influence of composition on microstructural development. A large number of experimental alloys were then prepared via arc-button melting for comparison with the diagrams. Each alloy was characterized using various microscopy techniques. The expected δ-ferrite and γ-austenite phases were accompanied by martensite at low Cr/Ni ratios and by σ phase at high Mo contents. A total of 20 possible phase transformation sequences are proposed, resulting in various amounts and morphologies of the γ, δ, σ, and martensite phases. The results were used to construct a map of expected phase transformation sequence and resultant microstructure as a function of composition. The results of this work provide a working guideline for future base metal and filler metal development of this class of materials. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Embrittlement in CN3MN Grade Superaustenitic Stainless Steels

Superaustenitic stainless steels (SSS) are widely used in extreme environments such as off-shore oil wells, chemical and food processing equipment, and seawater systems due to their excellent corrosion resistance and superior toughness. The design of the corresponding heat treatment process is crucial to create better mechanical properties. In this respect, the short-term annealing behavior of CN3MN grade SSS was investigated by a combined study of Charpy impact tests, hardness measurements, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Specimens were heat treated at 1200 K (927 °C) for up to 16 minutes annealing time and their impact strengths and hardnesses were tested. The impact toughness was found to decrease to less than the half of the initial values while hardness stayed the same. Detailed fracture surface analyses revealed a ductile to brittle failure transition for relatively short annealing times. Brittle fracture occurred in both intergranular and transgranular modes. SEM and TEM indicated precipitation of nano-sized intermetallics, accounting for the intergranular embrittlement, along the grain boundaries with respect to annealing time. The transgranular fracture originated from linear defects seen to exist within the grains. Close observation of such defects revealed stacking-fault type imperfections, which lead to step-like cracking observed in microlength scales.     

Determination of isothermal transformation diagrams for sigma-phase formation in cast duplex stainless steels CD3MN and CD3MWCuN

Work was undertaken to establish reliable time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagrams for the cast duplex stainless steels CD3MN and CD3MWCuN. The latter contains higher Cr, Ni, and Mo contents compared to the former. The TTT diagrams for sigma-phase formation in both alloys were developed based on quantitative metallography results from optical and scanning electron microscopy. The kinetics of sigma-phase were found to be much faster in CD3MWCuN alloys than in CD3MN. An Avrami analysis was employed to assess transformation characteristics and to refine the TTT diagram determination. Theoretical prediction of phase equilibria using the thermodynamic software package ThermoCalc was compared to the amount of sigma phase observed experimentally from long-term heat treatments. The constructed TTT diagrams of the cast alloys were compared to wrought counterpart alloys.     

On Phase Equilibria in Duplex Stainless Steels

The equilibrium conditions of four duplex stainless steels; Fe‐23Cr‐4.5Ni‐0.1N, Fe‐22Cr‐5.5Ni‐3Mo‐0.17N, Fe‐25Cr‐7Ni‐4Mo‐0.27N and Fe‐25Cr‐7Ni‐4Mo‐1W‐1.5Cu‐0.27N were studied in the temperature region from 700 to 1000 °C. Phase compositions were determined with SEM EDS and the phase fractions using image analysis on backscattered SEM images. The results showed that below 1000 °C the steels develop an inverse duplex structure with austenite and sigma phase, of which the former is the matrix phase. With decreasing temperature, the microstructure will be more and more complex and finely dispersed. The ferrite is, for the higher alloyed steels, only stable above 1000 °C and at lower temperatures disappears in favour of intermetallic phases. The major intermetallic phase is sigma phase with small amounts of chi phase, the latter primarily in high Mo and W grades. Nitrides, not a focus in this investigation, were present as rounded particles and acicular precipitates at lower temperatures. The results were compared to theoretical predictions using the TCFE5 and TCFE6 databases.     

Deformation Behavior and Texture Evolution of Ferrite and Austenite Phases in Lean Duplex Stainless Steel

To avoid cracks during hot rolling, a short process of direct cold rolling following solution treatment of the casting billet for preparing lean duplex stainless steel plates is proposed. The effect of cold rolling reduction on the microstructure, texture, and mechanical properties of UNS S32101 is investigated. The results show that dislocation slip is the main character in ferrite, which leads to dislocation tangles, dislocation cells, high-density dislocation walls, and deformed microbands. However, twinning and strain-induced martensite transformation (SIMT) occur in austenite, and the SIMT mechanism of austenite follows the classical model γ → ε → α′ and γ → α′, with the orientation relationship of Kurdjumov–Sachs ( $$ and $$) and Nishyama–Wassermann (N–W) ( $$ and $$). Meanwhile, at 50%, there is a transition from Cu texture to Brass texture in the austenite phase. At 12.5%, the yield strength is 344 MPa higher than that of the traditional hot rolling process, and the elongation remains about 35%. With the increasing cold rolling reduction, the elongation decreases while the strength rises significantly. Strengthening dislocations, fine-tuning grains, and SIMT are the primary contributors to the improvement in strength.     

经济型双相不锈钢的研发进展

 经济型双相不锈钢是一种高性能低成本的氮合金化不锈钢新材料,具有典型的铁素体-奥氏体双相组织。利用氮取代镍元素的奥氏体化作用,降低成本的同时获得优良的力学性能和耐腐蚀性能。介绍了经济型双相不锈钢的发展历史,重点讨论了合金元素和热处理对相变、力学性能和耐腐蚀性能的影响规律,并与304和316进行对比;同时,分析了经济型双相不锈钢焊接性能和焊接工艺的研究进展。经济型双相不锈钢S32101、S32003、S32202等,已用于核电、桥梁、建筑、热交换器等行业,取代传统奥氏体不锈钢AISI 304和316。由于经济型双相不锈钢具有高强度和优良耐蚀性,同时镍、钼等贵金属的含量都较低,已成为未来不锈钢发展的方向之一。     

Paraequilibrium Carburization of Duplex and Ferritic Stainless Steels

AISI 301 and E-BRITE stainless steels were subjected to low-temperature (743 K) carburization experiments using a commercial technology developed for carburization of 316 austenitic stainless steels. The AISI 301 steel contained ~40 vol pct ferrite before carburization but had a fully austenitic hardened case, ~20-μm thick, and a surface carbon concentration of ~8 at. pct after treatment; this “colossal” paraequilibrium carbon supersaturation caused an increase in lattice parameter of ~3 pct. The E-BRITE also developed a hardened case, 12- to 18-μm thick, but underwent a more modest (~0.3 pct) increase in lattice parameter; the surface carbon concentration was ~10 at. pct. While the hardened case on the AISI 301 stainless steel appeared to be single-phase austenite, evidence for carbide formation was apparent in X-ray diffractometer (XRD) scans of the E-BRITE. Paraequilibrium phase diagrams were calculated for both AISI 301 and E-BRITE stainless steels using a CALPHAD compound energy-based interstitial solid solution model. In the low-temperature regime of interest, and based upon measured paraequilibrium carbon solubilities, more negative Cr-carbon interaction parameters for austenite than those in the current CALPHAD data base may be appropriate. A sensitivity analysis involving Cr-carbon interaction parameters for ferrite found a strong dependence of carbon solubility on relatively small changes in the magnitude of these parameters. This article is based on a presentation given at the “International Conference on Surface Hardening of Stainless Steels,” which occurred October 22–23, 2007 during the ASM Heat Treating Society Meeting in Cleveland, OH under the auspices of the ASM Heat Treating Society and TMS.

---

Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Simulated Heat-Affected Zones in Cast Precipitation-Hardened Stainless Steels 17-4 and 13-8+Mo

Cast precipitation-hardened (PH) stainless steels 17-4 and 13-8+Mo are used in applications that require a combination of high strength and moderate corrosion resistance. Many such applications require fabrication and/or casting repair by fusion welding. The purpose of this work is to develop an understanding of microstructural evolution and resultant mechanical properties of these materials when subjected to weld thermal cycles. Samples of each material were subjected to heat-affected zone (HAZ) thermal cycles in the solution-treated and aged condition (S-A-W condition) and solution-treated condition with a postweld thermal cycle age (S-W-A condition). Dilatometry was used to establish the onset of various phase transformation temperatures. Light optical microscopy (LOM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) were used to characterize the microstructures, and comparisons were made to gas metal arc welds that were heat treated in the same conditions. Tensile testing was also performed. MatCalc thermodynamic and kinetic modeling software was used to predict the evolution of copper (Cu)-rich body center cubic precipitates in 17-4 and β-NiAl precipitates in 13-8+Mo. The yield strength was lower in the simulated HAZ samples of both materials prepared in the S-A-W condition when compared to their respective base metals. Samples prepared in the S-W-A condition had higher and more uniform yield strengths for both materials. Significant changes were observed in the matrix microstructure of various HAZ regions depending on the peak temperature, and these microstructural changes were interpreted with the aid of dilatometry results, LOM, SEM, and EDS. Despite these significant changes to the matrix microstructure, the changes in mechanical properties appear to be governed primarily by the precipitation behavior. The decrease in strength in the HAZ samples prepared in the S-A-W condition was attributed to the dissolution of precipitates, which was supported by the MatCalc modeling results. MatCalc modeling results for samples in the S-W-A condition predicted uniform size of precipitates across all regions of the HAZ, and these predictions were supported by the observed trends in mechanical properties. Cross-weld tensile tests performed on GMA welds showed the same trends in mechanical behavior as the simulated HAZ samples. Welding in the S-W-A condition resulted in over 90 pct retention in yield strength when compared to base metal strengths. These findings indicate that welding these PH stainless steels in the solution-treated condition and using a postweld age will provide better and more uniform mechanical properties in the HAZ that are more consistent with the base metal properties.

     

Formation of Nitrogen Bubbles During Solidification of Duplex Stainless Steels

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - The nucleation and growth of nitrogen bubbles for duplex stainless steels are of great significance for the formation mechanism of bubbles during...     

Correction to: Quantitative Nanostructure and Hardness Evolution in Duplex Stainless Steels: Under Real Low-Temperature Service Conditions

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A -     

A Semiempirical Model for Sigma-Phase Precipitation in Duplex and Superduplex Stainless Steels

Sigma phase is known to reduce the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of duplex and superduplex stainless steels. Therefore, heat treatments and welding must be carefully performed so as to avoid the appearance of such a detrimental phase, and clearly, models suitable to faithfully predict σ-phase precipitation are very useful tools. Most fully analytical models are based on thermodynamic calculations whose agreement with experimental results is not always good, so that such models should be used for qualitative purposes only. Alternatively, it is possible to exploit semiempirical models, where time-temperature-transformation (TTT) diagrams are empirically determined for a given alloy and the continuous-cooling-transformation (CCT) diagram is calculated from the TTT diagram. In this work, a semiempirical model for σ-phase precipitation in duplex and superduplex stainless steels, under both isothermal and unisothermal conditions, is proposed. Model parameters are calculated from empirical data and CCT diagrams are obtained by means of the additivity rule, whereas experimental measurements for model validation are taken from the literature. This model gives a satisfactory estimation of σ-phase precipitates during both isothermal aging and the continuous cooling process.     

Microstructural Evolution and Its Influence on Low-Temperature Toughness of Simulated Heat-Affected Zone in Super Duplex Stainless Steel Welded Joint

The microstructures of heat-affected zone (HAZ) during multipass welding procedure of super duplex stainless steel (DSS) are simulated by a thermomechanical simulator. The influences of ferritization, 1st-reheating, and 2nd-reheating process on the microstructural evolution and toughness of the HAZ are studied. The results show that the alternating bands of ferrite and austenite are transformed into coarse equiaxed ferrite and different types of primary austenite (γ₁). The austenite content significantly decreases and a great number of Cr₂N precipitate in the ferritized HAZ comparing with as-received super DSS. In addition, the 1st-reheating temperature has significant influence on microstructure of the ferritized HAZ. The austenite content increases but the precipitation tendency of Cr₂N reduces with the raising of 1st-reheating temperature. Secondary austenite (γ₂) is prone to precipitate after the 1st-reheating at 1000 °C. A combined precipitation behavior of γ₂ and Cr₂N is clarified during the reheating process. Furthermore, the 2nd-reheating at 900 °C promotes Cr₂N precipitation again as well as austenite formation. The toughness is mainly related with ductile austenite content, hard-brittle Cr₂N amount, and N supersaturation degree in the ferrite. In order to raise toughness of the ferritized HAZ, it is recommended to reheat at above 1200 °C.     

Delaminations by Cleavage Cracking in Duplex Stainless Steels at Sub-zero Temperatures

Impact toughness testing was conducted on 10 and 30 mm plates of 2205 together with a 30 mm plate of LDX 2101^® duplex stainless steel (DSS). The testing temperatures were between 153 K (?120 °C) and room temperature. Interrupted fracture toughness tests of the 10 mm plate and a 50 mm plate of 2205 were also performed. The conclusion from the fractographic investigation was that the delaminations that occur in hot-rolled DSSs were cleavage fractures. The toughness anisotropy can be explained by the cleavage fracture and the appearance of the microstructure. The result from the interrupted fracture toughness test revealed that the delaminations initiated prior to the maximum force plateau and propagated ahead of the stable crack growth during testing. Estimated upper limit for the fracture delamination initiation toughness at sub-zero temperatures for the 2205 base metal according to the crack-tip opening displacement method was 28 to 61 μm for the 10 mm plate, 70 to 106 μm for the 30 mm plate and below 100 μm for the 50 mm plate.     

Effect of Aging on the Fracture Behavior of Lean Duplex Stainless Steels

The influence of aging in the range of 550 °C to 850 °C for 5 to 120 minutes on the impact fracture behavior of 2101 and 2304 lean duplex stainless steels (DSS) was investigated in the present study. The 2304 steel displayed ductile behavior irrespective of aging conditions. In contrast, the 2101 steel displayed a ductile behavior only in the case of aging for 5 minutes at 550 °C and 650 °C, whereas in all other cases, it fractured in a brittle manner. The brittle fracture behavior of the 2101 steel has been attributed to the precipitation of small black particles at the α/α and α/γ grain boundaries (nitrides), which form paths for easy crack propagation. In the 2304 steel, such particles precipitated at 750 °C and 850 °C, but they were located inside the austenitic grains because of the formation of secondary austenite. They therefore did not embrittle the steel. The larger Ni content of the 2304 steel favored the formation of the secondary austenite that is absent in the 2101 steel.