Effect of Cu contents on aging precipitation behaviors of Cu-rich phase in Fe-Cr-Ni alloy

Abstract: The precipitation characteristics and effect on strengthening mechanism of Cu-rich phases during short-time and long-time aging in the Super 304H steels with different Cu contents were investigated by the use of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that the size of Cu-rich phase particles increases, the distance of Cu-rich phase particles decreases and the density of Cu-rich phases increases with the increase of Cu content during short-time aging (~ 800 h) at 650℃ in the Super 304H steels. During long-time aging (>2000 h) at 650℃, Cu-rich phases precipitate sufficiently and the strengthening effect of Cu-rich phases is preferable in the Super 304H steel with 4% Cu. The strengthening effect of Cu-rich phases in the Super 304H steels with 2.2 % Cu or 5 % Cu is weaker than that with 4% Cu during long-time aging (>2000 h).