Nitrogen alloying of the 12% Cr martensitic-ferritic steel

The influence of the nitrogen content on the structure and mechanical properties of heat and corrosion resistant 12% Cr martensitic-ferritic steel developed at the Central Research Institute of Structural Materials Prometey has been studied. Steel containing 0.061 wt % nitrogen possesses a high level of mechanical properties. The decrease in the nitrogen content to 0.017 wt % leads to an increase of structurally free ferrite fraction in the steel, a decrease in the density of dislocations, a decrease of structural dispersity and the absence of finely dispersed precipitates of niobium and vanadium nitrides and carbides. As a result, there is a decrease in the strength properties, especially in the heat resistance.