Localized corrosion of (lean) duplex stainless steels in immersion units of urban wastewater treatment plants

With lower alloying cost and higher mechanical properties, lean duplex stainless steels can be an alternative to the more commonly used austenitic stainless steels. However, these alloys are still not the preferred choice, probably due to a lack of field experience. A study was thus initiated in view of defining the limits of use of selected (lean) duplexes for urban wastewater treatment units. The present paper shows the localized corrosion performance of selected lean duplexes in chloride contaminated solutions. The results are compared with austenitic S30403 and S31603 and with the more standard duplexes S82441 and S32205. The effect of welding was also investigated. Exposures in field municipal wastewater plants were conducted for 1 year in low and high chloride content units. The results show that lean duplexes S32101 and S32202 can be used as alternatives to S30403 and S31603 in low chloride electrolytes. At 500 ppm of chloride content, duplex stainless steel S32304 showed better corrosion resistance than S30403 and S31603. For higher chloride contents (1000 ppm and above) the standard duplexes S82441 and S32205 shall be preferred.     

Role of Co in formation of Ni-Ti clusters in maraging stainless steel

The effect of Co addition on the formation of Ni-Ti clusters in maraging stainless steel was studied by three dimensional atom probe (3DAP) and first-principles calculation. The cluster analysis based on the maximum separation approach showed an increase in size but a decrease in density of Ni-Ti clusters with increasing the Co content. The first-principles calculation indicated weaker Co-Ni (Co-Ti) interactions than Co-Ti (Fe-Ti) interactions, which should be the essential reason for the change of distribution characteristics of Ni-Ti clusters in bcc Fe caused by Co addition.     

Brittle fracture of high-strength steels at very low temperatures

High-strength steels are used to increase the load carrying capacity of components. However, to guarantee a safe design, it is also necessary to combine high strength with adequate fracture toughness. In this paper, fracture toughness of three high-strength steels with yield strengths ranging from 460 to 890 MPa has been studied at very low temperatures. Taking into account experimental evidence, a new mechanism of cleavage at very low temperatures is proposed. This mechanism considers the possibility of reaching the ideal strength (the stress at which the lattice of a single crystal losses its stability) in the immediate vicinity of the fatigue crack tip. Moreover, a computational model able to calculate the external load needed to produce a catastrophic failure of these steels has been developed.     

Recrystallization/precipitation behaviour in microalloyed steels

Microalloyed high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels contain additions of Nb, V, Ti, or in combination, in amounts of 0.01 to 0.1 weight percent to improve mechanical properties, which are strongly dependent on the thermomechanical interaction taking place in the course of rolling mill processes. The recrystallizatian of hat-twisted austenite has been investigated in a cylindrical specimen (f 6×50 mm) machined from hat rolled plates of 0,052 wt % Niobium microalloyed steel. Continuous and interrupted torsion test were carried out in the temperature range 1123 K to 1173 K after a solution treatment of 1.5 minutes at 1423 K and torque-twist data were analysed. The various methods were discussed for obtaining results from torsion tests. The effect of precipitation kinetics was appreciated by way of connection t_p/t_p(red), where t_p is the experimental measured time for the peak stress and t_p(red) is the newly defined reduced time. The softening ratio X and time t_0.05R for start of static recrystallization were established.

The correlation between precipitation and recrystallization is presented as a graphs for chosen requirements (temperature of austenitization, carbon and niobium content and strain rate). If temperature goes below 850°C, the restoration processes are hardly suppressed, both are limited by diffusion and Nb(CN) precipitation, which are extended dynamically in the range of strains rates 10⁻² to 1 s⁻¹.

In the present paper, an attempt is made to derive the PRTT diagram and to define all mathematical equations for describing recrystallization times t_0.05R, t_0.5R, t_0.95R and t_0.05P for the start of precipitation. In real metal forming processes such as the hot rolling of plates or strips the knowledge of these parameters and results is extremely important for the the correct microstructure and sheet quality to be obtained.     

高强度烧结钢

为开拓粉末冶金材料新的应用领域，近年来对高强度烧结钢进行了大量的研究与开发。本文简要介绍Ｈｏｇａｎａｓ公司开发的一些高强粉末冶金材料及对一些高强度烧结材料尺寸变化的控制。     

HSLA-80/100钢的焊接

对ＨＳＬＡ－８０／１００钢的焊接性、焊接材料及焊接工艺进行了综述，并指出了现存在的主要问题。     

Microstructural Modelling of Nb Microalloyed Steels during Thin Slab Direct Rolling Processing

The microstructural evolution during the hot rolling of coarse grain sized austenite has been modeled considering all the microstructural mechanisms (dynamic, static and metadynamic recrystallization, strain induced precipitation) that can take place during an industrial TSDR production of three Nb microalloyed steels. Based on the results obtained from the model, processing maps have been drawn for 0.02%, 0.035% and 0.05% Nb microalloyed steels. Optimum processing conditions to exploit all the benefits of the Nb microalloying have been defined considering a final gauge thickness range between 1.5 and 12.65 mm. In addition, and facing the difficulties present in the production of thick hot strip, several alternative thermomechanical schedules are proposed, which would originate microstructures with a suitable combination of homogeneity and retained strain prior to transformation.