• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.306-313
• /
• 2014

Super duplex stainless steels (sDSS) are excellent for use under severely corrosive conditions such as offshore and marine applications like pipelines and flanges. sDSS has better mechanical properties and corrosion resistance than the standard duplex stainless steel (DSS) but it is easier for a sigma phase to appear, which depresses the mechanical property and corrosion resistance, compared to DSS, because sDSS has a higher alloy element than DSS. In addition, sDSS has a feeble ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) because it has a 50% ferrite microstructure. In the actual operating environment, sDSS would be thermally affected by welding and a sub-zero temperature environment. This study analyzed how precipitated sDSS behaves at a sub-zero temperature through annealing heat treatment and a sub-zero tensile test. Six types of specimens with annealing times of up to 60 min were tested in a sub-zero chamber. According to the experimental results, an increase in the annealing time reduced the elongation of sDSS, and a decrease in the tensile test temperature raises the flow stress and tensile stress. In particular, the elongation of specimens annealed for 15 min and 30 min was clearly lowered with a decrease in the tensile test temperature because of the increasing sigma phase fraction ratio.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.180-185
• /
• 2014

The current concern about these materials ($MoSi_2$ and $NbSi_2$) focuses on their low fracture toughness below the ductile-brittle transition temperature. To improve the mechanical properties of these materials, the fabrication of nanostructured and composite materials has been found to be effective. Nanomaterials frequently possess high strength, high hardness, excellent ductility and toughness, and more attention is being paid to their potential application. In this study, nanopowders of Mo, Nb, and Si were fabricated by high-energy ball milling. A dense nanostructured $MoSi_2-NbSi_2$ composite was simultaneously synthesized and sintered within two minutes by high-frequency induction heating method using mechanically activated powders of Mo, Nb, and Si. The high-density $MoSi_2-NbSi_2$ composite was produced under simultaneous application of 80MPa pressure and an induced current. The sintering behavior, mechanical properties, and microstructure of the composite were investigated. The average hardness and fracture toughness values obtained were $1180kg/mm^2$ and $3MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$, respectively. These fracture toughness and hardness values of the nanostructured $MoSi_2-NbSi_2$ composite are higher than those of monolithic $MoSi_2$ or $NbSi_2$.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.306-316
• /
• 2013

Microstructure and fracture behavior of a multi-phase low-density steel were investigated. After hot-rolling and heat treatment, the microstructure of low-density steel was composed of coarse ferrite grains and elongated bands which include second phases such as austenite, martensite and ${\kappa}$-carbide depending on holding time during isothermal heat treatment. After tensile test, microcracks were observed at martensite or ${\kappa}$-carbide interface in the elongated bands. Coarse ferrite grains showed cleavage fracture behavior regardless of second phase. The cleavage fracture of ferrite could be attributed to their coarse grain size and solute atoms that increase ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of ferrite. Despite of the tendency of cleavage fracture in coarse ferrite grains, a specimen having coarse spheroidized ${\kappa}$-carbide particles in the elongated bands showed high total elongation of 30%. Thus, the easiness of plastic deformation in the elongated band seems to play an important role in retardation of cleavage crack formation in coarse ferrite grains.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.93-98
• /
• 2010

The properties of GTA weld for ferritic stainless steel have been studied with different $O_2$ contents in Ar shielding gas at the constant welding speed. A small amount of $O_2$ (0.01~1.0%) was mixed in Ar shielding gas in order to improve the weld penetration. The fully penetrated GTA weld was acquired at 160A weld current shielded by pure Ar gas. Addition of oxygen larger than 0.1% made a full penetration at lower weld current than 160A. The small addition of $O_2$ in Ar shielding gas improved the penetration properties of GTA weld because the $O_2$ in the molten pool accelerated the flow of molten pool and changed the flow pattern from outward to inward direction. The impact energy and DBTT (Ductile- Brittle- Transition-Temperature) of the GTA weld shielded by Ar+$O_2$ (less 0.3%) was similar and the corrosion properties of GTA weld was slightly inferior to those of GTA weld shielded by pure Ar gas.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.75-81
• /
• 2015

Effects of B and Cu additions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of high-strength bainitic steels were investigated in this study. Six kinds of high-strength bainitic steels with different B and Cu contents were fabricated by thermo-mechanical control process composed of controlled rolling and accelerated cooling. The microstructures of the steels were analyzed using optical and transmission microscopy, and the tensile and impact tests were conducted on them in order to investigate the correlation of microstructure with mechanical properties. Depending on the addition of B and Cu, various low-temperature transformation products such as GB (granular bainite), DUB (degenerated upper bainite), LB (lower bainite), and LM (lath martensite) were formed in the steels. The addition of B and Cu increased the yield and tensile strengths because of improved hardenability and solid solution strengthening, but decreased the ductility and low-temperature toughness. The steels containing both B and Cu had a very high strength above 1.0 GPa, but showed a worse low-temperature toughness of higher DBTT (ductile-to-brittle transition temperature) and lower absorbed energy. On the other hand, the steels having GB and DUB showed a good combination of tensile and impact properties in terms of strength, ductility, yield ratio, absorbed energy, and DBTT.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.74-82
• /
• 1998

The grain boundary etching method as a technique for assessing degradation of structural materials used at elevated temperature has received much attention since it is simple, inexpensive and easy to apply to real plant components. In this study, the technique is applied to some aged petroleum and chemical plant components such as reactors and drums. As a degradation parameter, intersection number ratio ($N_i/N_o$), is employed. The intersection number ratio ($N_i/N_o$) is defined as the ratio of intersection number ($N_i$) obtained from 5-minute picric acid etched surface to the number ($N_o$) obtained from Nital etched surface. In order to study degradation level, several relationships were measured such as the correlation between shift in ductile brittle transition temperature, $({\Delta}DBTT)_{sp}$ and intersection number ratio, ($N_i/N_o$) and the correlation between the measured ($N_i/N_o$) values and Larson-Miller Parameter values.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.62-69
• /
• 2016

Current guidance considers that uniaxially loaded specimen with a deep crack is used for the determination of the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature. However, reactor pressure vessel is under biaxial loading in real and the existence of deep crack is not probable through periodic in-service-inspection. The elastic stress intensity factor and the elastic-plastic J-integral which were used for crack-tip stress field and fracture mechanics assessment parameters. The difference of the loading condition and crack geometry can significantly influence on these parameters. Thus, a constraint effect caused by differences between standard specimens and a real structure can over/underestimate the fracture toughness, and it affects the results of the structural integrity assessment, consequentially. The present paper investigates the constraint effects by evaluating the master curve $T_0$ reference temperature of PCVN (Pre-cracked Charpy V-Notch) and small scale cruciform specimens which was designed to simulate biaxial loading condition with shallow crack through the fracture toughness tests and 3-dimensional elastic-plastic finite element analyses. Based on the finite element analysis results, the fracture toughness values of a small scale cruciform specimen were estimated, and the geometry-dependent factors of the cruciform specimen considered in the present study were determined. Finally, the transferability of the test results of these specimens was discussed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.246-252
• /
• 2018

A series of simulated reactivity-initiated accident (RIA) tests on irradiated fully recrystallized boiling water reactor Zircaloy-2 cladding has been performed by means of the expansion-due-to-compression (EDC) test method. The EDC method reproduces fuel pellet-clad mechanical interaction (PCMI) conditions for the cladding during RIA transients with respect to temperature and loading rates by out-of-pile mechanical testing. The tested materials had a large variation in burnup and hydrogen content (up to 907 wppm). The results of the EDC tests showed variation in the PCMI resistance of claddings with similar burnup and hydrogen content, making it difficult to clearly identify ductile-to-brittle transition temperatures. The EDC-tested samples of the present and previous work were investigated by light optical and scanning electron microscopy to study the influence of factors such as azimuthal variation of the Zr-hydrides and the presence of hydride rims and radially oriented hydrides. Two main characteristics were identified in samples with low ductility with respect to hydrogen content and test temperature: hydride rims and radial hydrides at the cladding outer surface. Crack propagation and failure modes were also studied, showing two general modes of crack propagation depending on distribution and amount of radially oriented hydrides. It was concluded that the PCMI resistance of irradiated cladding under normal conditions with homogenously distributed circumferential hydrides is high, with good margin to the RIA failure limits. To further improve safety, focus should be on conditions causing nonfavorable hydride distribution, such as hydride reorientation and formation of hydride blisters at the cladding outer surface.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.7
• /
• pp.2376-2385
• /
• 2022

Two groups of oxide dispersion-strengthened reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels (A and B) were prepared by adding Y, Ti, and Zr into steels through vacuum induction melting to investigate the inclusions, microstructures, mechanical properties of the alloys. Results showed that particles with Y, Ti, and Zr easily formed. Massive, Zr-rich inclusions were found in B steel. Density of micron inclusions in A steel was 1.42 × 10¹⁴ m^-3, and density of nanoparticles was 3.61 × 10¹⁶ m^-3. More and finer MX carbides were found in steel tempered at 650 ℃, and yield strengths (YS) of A and B steel were 714±2 and 664±3.5 MPa. Thermomechanical processing (TMP) retained many dislocations, which improved the mechanical properties. YSs of A and B treated by TMP were 725±3 and 683±4 MPa. The existence of massive Zr-rich inclusions in B steels interrupted the continuity of the matrix and produced microcracks (fracture), which caused a reduction in mechanical properties. The presence of fine prior austenite grain size and inclusions was attributed to the low DBTTs of the A steels; DBTTs of A650 and A700 alloy were -79 and -65 ℃. Tempering temperature reduction and TMP are simple, readily useable methods that can lead to a superior balance of strength and impact toughness in industry applications.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.237-244
• /
• 2000

Phenolic resin used as a precursor of carbonized matrix for carbon-carbon composites was modified by addition of molybdenum disilicide (MoSi$_2$) in various concentrations of 0, 4, 12 and 20% by weight to improve the anti-oxidation properties of the composites. The green body was manufactured by a prepreg method and was submitted to carbonization up to 110$0^{\circ}C$. In this work, the oxidation behavior of carbon-carbon composites with MoSi$_2$ as an oxidation inhibitor was investigated at the temperature range of 600-100$0^{\circ}C$ in an air environment. The carbon-carbon composites with MoSi$_2$ showed a significantly improved oxidation resistance due to both the reduction of the porosity formation and the formation of mobile diffusion barrier for oxygen when compared to those without MoSi$_2$. Carbon active sites should be blocked, decreasing the oxidation rate of carbon. This is probably due to the effect of the inherent MoSi$_2$ properties, resulted from a formation of the protective layer against oxygen attack in the composites studied.