Creep Rupture Strength and Microstructure of Low C-10Cr-2Mo Heat-Resisting Steels with V and Nb

The new ferritic heat-resisting steels of 0.05C-10Cr-2Mo-0.10V-0.05Nb (Cb) composition with high creep rupture strength and good ductility have already been reported. The optimum amounts of V and Nb that can be added to the 0.05C-10Cr-2Mo steels and their effects on the creep rupture strength and microstructure of the steels have been studied in this experiment. The optimum amounts of V and Nb are about 0.10 pct V and 0.05 pct Nb at 600 °C for 10,000 h, but shift to 0.18 pct V and 0.05 pct Nb at 650 °C. Nb-bearing steels are preferred to other grades on the short-time side, because NbC precipitation during initial tempering stages delays recovery of martensite. On the long-time side, however, V-bearing steels have higher creep rupture strength. By adding V to the steels, electron microscopic examination reveals a stable microstructure, retardation during creep of the softening of tempered martensite, fine and uniform distribution of precipitates, and promotion of the precipitation of Fe₂Mo.