• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2015

The ductile-to-brittle transition behavior of two austenitic Fe-18Cr-10Mn alloys with the combined addition of nitrogen and carbon was investigated in this study. The alloys exhibited a ductile-to-brittle transition behavior because of unusual brittle fracture at low temperatures unlike conventional austenitic alloys. The alloy with higher carbon content had higher yield and tensile strengths than that with lower carbon content due to the solid solution strengthening effect resulting from carbon addition. However, the increase in carbon content promoted the occurrence of intergranular fracture, and thus deteriorated the impact toughness. In order to develop successfully the austenitic Fe-18Cr-10Mn alloys with the excellent combination of strength and toughness in the future, therefore, more systematic studies are required to find the appropriate amount and ratio of nitrogen and carbon.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.784-791
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• 2019

In the present study, a series of tungsten austenitic stainless steel alloys have been developed by interchanging the molybdenum in standard SS316 by tungsten. This was done to minimize the long-life residual activation occurred in molybdenum and nickel after decommissioning of the power plant. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the prepared alloys are determined. For the sake of increasing multifunction property of such series of tungsten-based austenitic stainless steel alloys, gamma shielding properties were studied experimentally by means of NaI(Tl) detector and theoretically calculated by using the XCOM program. Moreover, fast neutrons macroscopic removal cross-section been calculated. The obtained combined mechanical, structural and shielding properties indicated that the modified austenitic stainless steel sample containing 1.79% tungsten and 0.64% molybdenum has preferable properties among all other investigated samples in comparison with the standard SS316. These properties nominate this new composition in several nuclear application domains such as, nuclear shielding domain.

• CORROSION AND PROTECTION
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2013

Austenitic stainless steels and Ni-base alloys are widely used as structural materials for major components and piping system in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). These austenitic alloys are known to be susceptible to environmental assisted cracking (EAC), such as environmentally-assisted fatigue (EAF) and primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) during long-term exposure to PWR primary water environment. In this paper, the current understanding on the phenomena and mechanisms of these EAC are briefly introduced using experimental results and literature review. The mechanisms for EAF and PWSCC for austenitic stainless steels and Ni-base alloys are discussed. Currently, austenitic stainless steels are known to be more susceptible to EAF, while less susceptible to PWSCC than Ni-base alloys. The possible explanations to such behaviors are proposed and discussed in view of the role of hydrogen and internal oxidation.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.559-565
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• 2015

The ductile-brittle transition behavior of two austenitic Fe-18Cr-10Mn-N-C alloys with different grain sizes was investigated in this study. The alloys exhibited a ductile-brittle transition behavior because of an unusual brittle fracture at low temperatures unlike conventional austenitic alloys. The alloy specimens with a smaller grain size had a higher yield and tensile strengths than those with a larger grain size due to grain refinement strengthening. However, a decrease in the grain size deteriorated the low-temperature toughness by increasing the ductile-brittle transition temperature because nitrogen or carbon could enhance the effectiveness of the grain boundaries to overcome the thermal energy. It could be explained by the temperature dependence of the yield stress based on low-temperature tensile tests. In order to improve both the strength and toughness of austenitic Fe-Cr-Mn-N-C alloys with different chemical compositions and grain sizes, more systematic studies are required to understand the effect of the grain size on the mechanical properties in relation to the temperature sensitivity of yield and fracture stresses.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.385-391
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• 2013

The influence of Cu and Ni on the ductile-brittle transition behavior of metastable austenitic Fe-18Cr-10Mn-N alloys with N contents below 0.5 wt.% was investigated in terms of austenite stability and microstructure. All the metastable austenitic Fe-18Cr-10Mn-N alloys exhibited a ductile-brittle transition behavior by unusual low-temperature brittle fracture, irrespective of Cu and/or Ni addition, and deformation-induced martensitic transformation occasionally occurred during Charpy impact testing at lower temperatures due to reduced austenite stability resulting from insufficient N content. The formation of deformation-induced martensite substantially increased the ductile-brittle transition temperature(DBTT) by deteriorating low-temperature toughness because the martensite was more brittle than the parent austenite phase beyond the energy absorbed during transformation, and its volume fraction was too small. On the other hand, the Cu addition to the metastable austenitic Fe-18Cr-10Mn-N alloy increased DBTT because the presence of ${\delta}$-ferrite had a negative effect on low-temperature toughness. However, the combined addition of Cu and Ni to the metastable austenitic Fe-18Cr-10Mn-N alloy decreased DBTT, compared to the sole addtion of Ni or Cu. This could be explained by the fact that the combined addition of Cu and Ni largely enhanced austenite stability, and suppressed the formation of deformation-induced martensite and ${\delta}$-ferrite in conjunction with the beneficial effect of Cu which may increase stacking fault energy, so that it allows cross-slip to occur and thus reduces the planarity of the deformation mechanism.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.649-654
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• 2013

The effect of interstitial elements on the ductile-brittle transition behavior of austenitic Fe-18Cr-10Mn-2Ni alloys with different nitrogen and carbon contents was investigated in this study. All the alloys exhibited ductile-brittle transition behavior because of unusual low-temperature brittle fracture, even though they have a faced-centered cubic structure. With the same interstitial content, the combined addition of nitrogen and carbon, compared to the sole addition of nitrogen, improved the low-temperature toughness and thus decreased the ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) because this combined addition effectively enhances the metallic component of the interatomic bonds and is accompanied by good plasticity and toughness due to the increased free electron concentration. The increase in carbon content or of the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, however, could increase the DBTT since either of these causes the occurrence of intergranular fracture that lead to the deterioration of the toughness at low temperatures. The secondary ion mass spectroscopy analysis results for the observation of carbon and nitrogen distributions confirms that the carbon and nitrogen atoms were significantly segregated to the austenite grain boundaries and then caused grain boundary embrittlement. In order to successfully develop austenitic Fe-Cr-Mn alloys for low-temperature application, therefore, more systematic study is required to determine the optimum content and ratio of carbon and nitrogen in terms of free electron concentration and grain boundary embrittlement.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.46-55
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• 1997

This study has evaluated the liquation cracking behavior in the heat affected zone of several Ni base superalloys (Incoloy 825, Inconel 718 and Inconel 600). 304 and 310S austenitic stainless steels were also included for comparison. In addition, the mechanism of liquation cracking in the HAZ was postulated based on the extensive microstructural examinations with SEM, EDAX and TEM. The liquation cracking resistance of Ni base alloys was found to be far inferior to that of austenitic stainless steels. The liquation cracking of Incoloy 825 and Inconel 718 was believed to be closely related with the Laves-austenite(Ti rich in 825 and Nb rich in 718) and MC-austenitic eutectic phases formed along the grain boundaries by constitutional liquation and incipient melting under rapid welding thermal contraction. Further, liquation cracking resistance of the HAZ was dependent not only upon the type and amount of low melting phases but also on the grain size.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.111-120
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• 1998

To predict and evaluate metallurgical and mechanical behavior of th welds, it is essential to understand solidification behavior and microstructural evolution experienced in the welds, neither of which follows the equilibrium phase diagram because of rapid heating and cooling conditions. Metallurgical phenomena in austenitic stainless steel fusion welds, types 304, 309S, 316L, 321 and 304N, were investigated in this study. Autogenous GTA welding was performed on weld coupons, and primary solidification mode and phase distribution were investigated from the welds. Varestraint test was employed to evaluate solidification cracking susceptibilities of the alloys. GTA weld fusion zones in type 304, 321 and 304N stainless steels experienced primary ferrite solidification while those in type 309S primary austenite solidification. Type 316L exhibited a mixed type of primary ferrite and primary austenite solidification. The primary solidification mode strongly depended on $Cr_{eq}/Ni_{eq}$ ratio. In terms of solidification cracking susceptibility, type 309S that solidified as primary austenite exhibited high cracking susceptibility while the alloys experienced primary ferrite solidification showed low cracking susceptibility. The relative ranking in solidification cracking susceptibility was type 304=type 304N < type 321 < type 316L < type 309S.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.372-379
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• 1990

The effect of primary solidification phase on the solidification cracking sensitivity, corrosion resistance and toughness at cryogenic temperature was investigated for the austenitic stainless steel welds. The conclusions were summarized as follows; 1. Soldification crack sensitivity of austenitic stainless steel welds depends on the primary solidification mode. 2. Austenitic stainless steels were very susceptible to solidification cracking in case of solidification as primary ${\gamma}$ and immune when solidified as primary $\delta$. 3. When the ratio of Creq/Nieq is in the range of 1.46 to 1.55, the most resistance against solidification cracking was obtained. These results agreed well with the relationship between primary solidification mode, corrosion resistance and toughness at cryogenic temperature. 4. Optimum toughness, corrosion and solidification cracking resistance can be obtained when alloys having chemical compositions described above and solidifies as primary $\delta$ containing no ferrite at room temperature.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.353-358
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• 2016

The hydrogen embrittlement of two austenitic high-manganese steels was investigated using tensile testing under high-pressure gaseous hydrogen. The test results were compared with those of different kinds of austenitic alloys containing Ni, Mn, and N in terms of stress and ductility. It was found that the ultimate tensile stress and ductility were more remarkably decreased under high-pressure gaseous hydrogen than under high-pressure gaseous argon, unlike the yield stress. In the specimens tested under high-pressure gaseous hydrogen, transgranular fractures were usually observed together with intergranular cracking near the fracture surface, whereas in those samples tested under high-pressure gaseous argon, ductile fractures mostly occurred. The austenitic high-manganese steels showed a relatively lower resistance to hydrogen embrittlement than did those with larger amounts of Ni because the formation of deformation twins or microbands in austenitic high-manganese steels probably promoted planar slip, which is associated with localized deformation due to gaseous hydrogen.