• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.41-45
• /
• 2008

Effectsof carbon content on the weldability of B-containing 620 grade high Cr ferritic cast steels were investigated. Cast steel with lower carbon content of 0.07% showed lower HAZ hardness because of the formation of lower carbon martensite in HAZ. It also showed less solidification cracking susceptibility in weld metal because of the formation of delta ferrite. However, hot ductility showed no difference between cast steels with lower and higher carbon contents. Cast steel with lower carbon content showed greater HAZ softening after PWHT in the region heated between AC1 and AC3 because of its higher base metal hardness.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.170-176
• /
• 2015

In this work, various electron microscopy and analysis techniques were used to investigate the microstructural evolution of a 9% Cr tempered martensite ferritic (TMF) steel T91 upon ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) treatment. The micro-dimpled surface was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The characteristics of plastic deformation and gradient microstructure of the UNSM treated specimens were clearly revealed by crystal orientation mapping of electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), with flexible use of the inverse pole figure, image quality, and grain boundary misorientation images. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation of the specimens at different depths showed the formation of dislocations, dense dislocation walls, subgrains, and grains in the lower, middle, upper, and top layers of the treated specimens. Refinement of the $M_{23}C_6$ precipitates was also observed, the size and the number density of which were found to decrease as depth from the top surface decreased. The complex microstructure and microstructural evolution of the TMF steel samples upon the UNSM treatment were well-characterized by combined use of EBSD and TEM techniques.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.311-322
• /
• 2013

High-Cr martensitic steel HT-9 is one of the candidate materials for advanced nuclear energy systems. Thanks to its excellent thermal conductivity and irradiation resistance, ferritic/martensitic steels such as HT-9 are considered for in-core applications of advanced nuclear reactors. The harsh neutron irradiation environments at the reactor core region pose a unique challenge for structural and cladding materials. Microstructural and microchemical changes resulting from displacement damage are anticipated for structural materials after prolonged neutron exposure. Consequently, various irradiation effects on the service performance of in-core materials need to be understood. In this work, the fundamentals of radiation damage and irradiation effects of the HT-9 martensitic steel are reviewed. The objective of this paper is to provide a background introduction of displacement damage, microstructural evolution, and subsequent effects on mechanical properties of the HT-9 martensitic steel under neutron irradiations. Mechanical test results of the irradiated HT-9 steel obtained from previous fast reactor and fusion programs are summarized along with the information of irradiated microstructure. This review can serve as a starting point for additional investigations on the in-core applications of ferritic/martensitic steels in advanced nuclear reactors.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.14-17
• /
• 2014

Ferritic stainless steels are widely used in the construction industry and in exhaust manifolds due to their low cost and relatively superior stress corrosion cracking resistance and pitting corrosion resistance compared to austenite stainless steels. Ferritic stainless steels are currently welded by various welding process including gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), electron resistance welding (ERW) and laser beam welding. However, when these stainless steels are welded by fusion welding, some problems occur in the fusion zone (FZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ). First, the ductility of the weld is reduced due to the grain growth in the FZ and HAZ. Second, as its HAZ is frequently sensitized during welding, corrosion resistance deteriorates in this region due to the Cr depletion zone. To prevent these problems, it is recommended that ferritic stainless steels be welded with a low heat input. In this study, recent researches in the view of friction stir welded ferritic stainless steels are briefly reviewed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.132-139
• /
• 2018

Nanocrystalline reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steel samples were prepared using surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). Un-SMATed and SMATed reduced activation ferritic/martensitic samples were irradiated by helium ions at $200^{\circ}C$ and $350^{\circ}C$ with 2 dpa and 8 dpa, respectively, to investigate the effects of grain boundaries (GBs) and temperature on the formation of He bubbles during irradiation. Experimental results show that He bubbles are preferentially trapped at GBs in all the irradiated samples. Bubble denuded zones are clearly observed near the GBs at $350^{\circ}C$, whereas the bubble denuded zones are not obvious in the samples irradiated at $200^{\circ}C$. The average bubble size increases and the bubble density decreases with an increasing irradiation temperature from $200^{\circ}C$ to $350^{\circ}C$. Both the average size and density of the bubbles increase with an increasing irradiation dose from 2 dpa to 8 dpa. Bubbles with smaller size and lower density were observed in the SMATed samples but not in the un-SMATed samples irradiated in the same conditions, which indicate that GBs play an important role during irradiation, and sink strength increases as grain size decreases.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.46 no.11
• /
• pp.737-746
• /
• 2008

Mechanisms of sticking phenomena occurring during hot rolling of a modified STS 430J1L ferritic stainless steel have been investigated in this study by using a pilot-plant-scale rolling machine. As the rolling pass proceeds, the Fe-Cr oxide layer formed in a reheating furnace is destroyed, and the destroyed oxides penetrate into the rolled steel to form a thin oxide layer on the surface region. The sticking does not occur on the surface region containing oxides, whereas it occurs on the surface region without oxides by the separation of the rolled steel at high temperatures. This indicates that the resistance to sticking increases by the increase in the surface hardness when a considerable amount of oxides are formed on the surface region, and that the sticking can be evaluated by the volume fraction and distribution of oxides formed on the surface region. The lubrication and the increase of the rolling speed and rolling temperature beneficially affect to the resistance to sticking because they accelerate the formation of oxides on the steel surface region. In order to prevent or minimize the sticking, thus, it is suggested to increase the thickness of the oxide layer formed in the reheating furnace and to homogeneously distribute oxides along the surface region by controlling the hot-rolling process.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.181-186
• /
• 2013

We present nondestructive characterization for remanent life of advanced ferritic steels, next-gen energy facility materials by reversible permeability. The reversible permeability is based on the theory that the value of reversible permeability is the same differential of the hysteresis loop. The measurement principle is based on the foundation of harmonics voltage induced in a sensing coil using a lock-in amplifier tuned to the frequency of the exciting one. The peak interval of reversible permeability(PIRP), Vickers hardness, and tensile strength(TS) of the aged samples decreased with aging time. We could estimate the remanent life of advanced ferritic steel by using the relationship between the peak interval of reversible permeability and Larson-Miller parameter(LMP), non-destructively.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.64-72
• /
• 2011

The spot weldability of dissimilar metal joints between austenitic stainless steels (STS316)/IF steels and ferritic stainless steels (STS430)/IF steels was investigated. This study was aimed to determine the spot welding parameters for a dissimilar metal joint and to evaluate the dissimilar metal joint's weldability, including its welding nugget shape, tensile-shear strength, hardness, and microstructure. The comparison of these results was described in terms of fracture behavior. Compared with the weld lobe of similar metal joints, dissimilar metal joints (STS430/IF) had reduced weld current range. However, the weld lobe of STS316/IF steel joint showed increased weld current range. This is because the dilution of chemical composition in the molten weld pool suppressed the heat input being caused by Joule heat with current flow through the samples. The microstructure of the fusion zone was fully martensite and mixture of ferrite and martensite for austenitic stainless steel/IF steel and ferritic stainless steel/IF steel combination, respectively. The experimental results showed that the shape of nugget was asymmetric, in which the fusion zone of the austenitic and ferritic stainless steel sheet was larger due to the higher bulk-resistance. The predicted microstructure by using the Schaeffler diagram was well matched with experimental results. After peel test, the fracture was initiated from heat affected zone of ferritic stainless steel sheet side, however the final fracture was propagated into the IF steel sheet side due to its lower strength.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.46 no.9
• /
• pp.593-603
• /
• 2008

In this study, effects of alloying elements on the sticking occurring during hot rolling of five kinds of ferritic STS430J1L stainless steels were investigated by analyzing high-temperature hardness and oxidation behavior of the rolled steels. Hot-rolling simulation tests were conducted by a high-temperature wear tester which could simulate actual hot rolling. The simulation test results revealed that the sticking process proceeded with three stages, i.e., nucleation, growth, and saturation. Since the hardness continuously decreased as the test temperature increased, whereas the formation of Fe-Cr oxides in the rolled steel surface region increased, the sticking of five stainless steels was evaluated by considering both the high-temperature hardness and oxidation effects. The addition of Zr, Cu, or Si had a beneficial effect on the sticking resistance, while the Ni addition did not show any difference in the sticking. Particularly in the case of the Si addition, Si oxides formed first in the initial stage of high-temperature oxidation, worked as initiation sites for Fe-Cr oxides, accelerated the formation of Fe-Cr oxides, and thus raised the sticking resistance by about 10 times in comparison with the steel without Si content.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.860-866
• /
• 2009

It is very important to choose optimal material having good corrosion resistance and capabilities for the part materials such as the automotive exhaust system under a hot salt corrosion atmosphere. Generally, two types of corrosion come into the automotive exhaust system. One is 'Condensate Corrosion', which is occurred by exhaust gas condensate formed at the inner surface of exhaust system heated up during driving, which results in the acid condensate pitting. The other is 'High Temperature Salt Corrosion' occurring from the interaction between the chloride ion coming from salt at the seaside district or snow salt and the outer surface of exhaust system. By the corrosion attack, the main muffler is firstly damaged and the life cycle of an automobile is significantly decreased. It has been investigated that the hot salt corrosion properties of a STS 409L and 436L ferritic stainless steels which are well-known for the materials of the automotive exhaust system. In addition, the corrosion properties of hot dip aluminum coated STS 409L have been compared with uncoated steels. Aluminum coated STS 409L showed a superior corrosion resistance than uncoated STS 409L, and futhermore showed a better corrosion resistance than a STS 436L, which is an expensive ferritic stainless steel having a excellent corrosion resistance caused from more chromium content of an alloying element.