Characterization of precipitates in 9%Cr heat resistant steel

Precipitation strengthening as well as solution strengthening is key mechanism for heat resistant steels.It is very important to characterize the precipitates in 9%Cr ferrite heat resistant steels,especially to show the nanometer-sized particles.By transmission electronic microscope attached with an energy dispersive spectrometer as well as optical microscope,scanning electronic microscope,the microstructure and chemical composition of precipitates in a 9%Cr heat resistant steel after different heat treatments were investigated.It was found that the microstructure of normalized sample was martensite with fine NbC and Fe₃C.The microstructure of tempered sample is tempered martensite,and there mainly were two types of precipitates,M₂₃C₆ with the size range of 50 - 300 nm and MX with the size of 10 - 100 nm.Superfine M₂₃C₆ precipitated preferably on prior austenitic grain boundaries and martensitic lath boundaries,while nanometer-sized MX precipitates were distributed randomly. After short-term creep,Laves phase formed along grain boundaries of the 9%Cr steel,and M₂₃ C₆ and MX precipitates were found to become coarser.More information about precipitates in the 9%Cr steel had been exhibited by atomic force microscopy.Thereby,distribution,size and shape of the precipitates as well as their compositions and structures were revealed.