• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제53권9호
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• pp.2982-2989
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• 2021

One of the consequences of the 475 ℃ embrittlement of duplex stainless steels is the reduction of the resistance to localized corrosion. Therefore, the detection of this type of embrittlement before the material exhibits significant loss in toughness, and corrosion resistance is important to ensure the structural integrity of critical components under corrosion threats. In this research, conductivity measurements are performed using the alternating current potential drop (ACPD) technique with using a portable four-point probe as a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) method for detecting the embrittlement in a 2507 (UNS S32750) super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) aged at 475 ℃ from as-received condition to 300 h. The electric conductivity results were compared against two electrochemical tests namely double loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR) and critical pitting temperature (CPT). Mechanical tests and the microstructure characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging are conducted to track the progress of embrittlement. It is shown that the electric conductivity correlates with the changes in impact energy, microhardness, and CPT corrosion tests result demonstrating the feasibility of the four-point probe as a possible field-deployable method for evaluating the 475 ℃ embrittlement of 2507 SDSS.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제54권3호
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• pp.102-111
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• 2021

The corrosion behaviors of laser-welded super duplex stainless steel tubes with post-weld heat treatment(PWHT) conditions(950, 1000, 1050, 1100 ℃ for 5 and 30 min) were evaluated by electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization and critical pitting temperature measurements. This study showed that the critical metallurgical factors affecting the degradation of corrosion resistance of a steel tube in as-welded condition were the unbalanced phase fraction(ferrite:austenite = 94:4), Cr₂N precipitation, and phase transformation from the austenite phase to ɛ-martensite(via stress-induced phase transformation). The improvement in the corrosion resistance of the welded specimen depends greatly on the PWHT conditions. The specimens after PWHT conducted below 1000 ℃ showed inferior corrosion resistance, caused by precipitation of the sigma phase enriched with Cr and Mo. At 1100 ℃ for a longer duration in PWHT, the ferrite phase grows, and its fraction increases, leading to an unbalanced phase fraction in the microstructure. As a result, pitting can be initiated primarily at the interface between the ferrite/austenite phase, particularly in base metal.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.435-446
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• 2023

Corrosion behaviors of laser-welded super duplex stainless steel (SDSS) tubes after exposure to an actual power plant environment for one year and those of fin-tube welded SDSS were evaluated. Results showed that corrosion damage on the back side of the SDSS tube in the direction of hot air was higher than that on the front side regardless of weldment location. However, corrosion damage showed no difference between weldment and base metal due to recovery of phase fraction in the weldment through post weld heat treatment (PWHT). Nevertheless, the SDSS tube showed severe corrosion damage along grain boundary due to surface phase transformation (δ → γ) and Cr₂N precipitation caused by PWHT with a high N₂ atmosphere. Corrosion resistance of the SDSS tube was recovered when degraded surface was removed. Corrosion sensitivity of a fin-tube increased significantly due to pre-existing crevice, unbalanced phase fraction, and σ phase precipitation adjacent to the fusion line. Although corrosion resistance was improved by recovered phase fraction and sufficient dissolution of σ phase during PWHT, corrosion reaction was concentrated at the pre-existing crevice. These results suggest that welding conditions for fin-tube steel should be optimized to improve corrosion resistance by removing pre-existing crevice in the weldment.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제9권5호
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• pp.187-195
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• 2010

Hyper duplex stainless steels have been developed in Korea for the purpose of application to the seawater system of Korean nuclear power plants. This system supplies seawater to cooling water heat exchanger tubes, related pipes and chlorine injection system. In normal operation, seawater is supplied to heat exchanger through the exit of circulating water pump headers, and the heat exchanged sea water is extracted to the discharge pipes in circulating water system connected to the circulating water discharge lines. The high flow velocity of some part of seawater system in nuclear power plants accelerates damages of components. Therefore, high strength and high corrosion resistant steels need to be applied for this environment. Hyper duplex stainless steel (27Cr-7.0Ni-2.5Mo-3.2W-0.35N) has been newly developed in Korea and is being improved for applying to nuclear power plants. In this study, the physical & mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of newly developed materials are quantitatively evaluated in comparative to commercial stainless steels in other countries. The properties of weld & HAZ (heat affected zone) are analyzed and the best compositions are suggested. The optimum conditions in welding process are derived for ensuring the volume fraction of ferrite(${\alpha}$) and austenite(${\gamma}$) in HAZ and controlling weld cracks. For applying these materials to the seawater heat exchanger, CCT and CPT in weldments are measured. As a result of all experiments, it was found that the newly developed hyper duplex stainless steel WREMBA has higher corrosion resistance and mechanical properties than those of super austenitic stainless steels including welded area. It is expected to be a promising material for seawater systems of Korean nuclear power plants.

• 한국표면공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국표면공학회 1998년도 춘계학술발표회 초록집
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• pp.47-48
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• 1998

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.48-53
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• 2014

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of postweld heat treatment(PWHT, 930, 1080, $1230^{\circ}C$) on the microstructure, phase formation, pitting corrosion and mechanical properties such as hardness, tensile strength and impact values of super duplex stainless steel(UNS S32750) multipass welds. Based on the microstructural examination and X-ray diffraction analysis, it was found that the ${\sigma}$ phase was formed in the welds heat treated at $930^{\circ}C$ in which the ferrite content greatly decreased into 5~10% in the welds. The secondary austenite was formed in the reheated zone of welds and redissolved into ferrite with increasing heat treatment temperatures. The tensile strength and impact values of welds heat treated at $930^{\circ}C$ were the lowest and revealed the brittle fracture surface. The weight loss by pitting corrosion increased with test temperatures. It was confirmed that pitting corrosion occurred mainly in secondary austenite of reheated zones. The postweld heat treatment temperature is recommended to be in the range of $1050{\sim}1150^{\circ}C$.

• 열처리공학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.74-79
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• 2012

This study has been carried out to investigate the precipitation behavior of ${\chi}$ phase and effect of ${\chi}$ phase precipitation on the impact toughness of 25%Cr-7%Ni-4%Mo super duplex stainless steel. It was proved that the ${\chi}$ phase was a intermetallic compound, which represented the higher chromium and molybdenum concentration than the matrix phases, and also showed the higher molybdenum concentration than the ${\sigma}$ phase. The ${\chi}$ phase was precipitated at the interface between ferrite and austenite or inside the ferrite matrix in the early stage of aging. The number of ${\chi}$ phase precipitates increased with increasing aging time, however, after showing the maximum value, the number was decreased due to the gradual transformation of ${\chi}$ phase into ${\sigma}$-phase. Aging ferrite phase was decomposed by the $r^2$ phase and ${\sigma}$-phase. Impact toughness rapidly decreased with time in the initial stage of aging at ${\chi}$ phase start to precipitate. Thus, the impact toughness was greatly influence for the precipitation of ${\chi}$ phase.

• 대한용접접합학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한용접접합학회 2009년 추계학술발표대회
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• pp.37-37
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• 2009

Due to their high corrosion resistance and improved mechanical properties super-duplex stainless steel (SDSS) are extensively used in petrochemical plants such as facilities in modern oil platform and off-shore process equipment. It is well known that the best mechanical and corrosion resistance properties of super-duplex stainless steel are obtained with a microstructure having approximately equal amounts of austenite and ferrite. And it is also known that sigma($\sigma$), chi($\chi$), secondary austenite(${\gamma}2$), chromium carbides and nitride affected adversely their properties. Therefore these phases must be avoided. However, effects of succeeding weld thermal cycle on the change of microstructure of weldment at multi-pass weld were not seldom experimentally researched. Therefore in the present work, the change of weldmetal microstructure and the effect of microstructure on pitting corrosion property at $40^{\circ}C$ by succeeding each weld thermal cycle were researched. The thermal history of root side was measured experimentally and the change of microstructure of root weld according to thermal cycle of each weld layer was evaluated. And the relationship between microstructure of root weld and pitting corrosion property at $40^{\circ}C$ was also investigated. Results of the present work are show as below. 1. The ferrite contents of root weld are gradually reduced by succeeding weld thermal cycle. 2. The 2nd phases such as sigma($\sigma$), chi($\chi$), secondary austenite(${\gamma}2$), chromium carbides and nitride are increased gradually by succeeding weld thermal cycle. 3. The pitting corrosion was detected in root weld part and weight loss by pitting corrosion is increased in proportional to the time exposed over $600^{\circ}C$ of the root weld. 4. The succeeding weld thermal cycles affect the microstructure of the former weldments and promote the formation of 2nd phases. That is, the more succeeding welds are added, the more 2nd phases are gradually increased. Consequently, it is thougth that this adversely affects pitting corrosion property.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.200-206
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• 2016

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of W substitution on the precipitation behavior of ${\chi}$ and ${\sigma}$ phases in super duplex stainless steel. The ${\chi}$ phase was precipitated at the interface of ferrite / austenite phases and inside the ferrite phase at the initial stage of aging. With an increase in the aging time, the volume fraction of the ${\chi}$ phase increased, and then decreased with the transformation from the ${\chi}$ phase to the ${\sigma}$ phase. The ${\sigma}$ phase was precipitated later than the ${\chi}$ phase, and the volume fraction of x phase increased with the increase in the aging time. The ferrite phase was decomposed into the new austenite (${\gamma}2$) and ${\sigma}$ phases by aging treatment. The decomposition of the ferrite phase into the ${\gamma}2$ and ${\sigma}$ phases was retarded by W substitution for Mo. The volume fraction of the ${\chi}$ phase increased and that of the ${\sigma}$ phase decreased due to W substitution. The ${\chi}$ and ${\sigma}$ phases were intermetallic compounds, which had lower nickel concentration, and higher chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten concentrations. The ${\chi}$ phase has higher molybdenum and tungsten concentrations than those of the ${\sigma}$ phase. The amounts of chromium and nickel in the ${\chi}$ and ${\sigma}$ phases did not change, but these phases have higher concentrations of molybdenum and tungsten due to W substitution for Mo.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.18-25
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• 2010

Super-duplex stainless steels (SDSS) have a good balance of mechanical property and corrosion resistance when they consist of approximately equal amount of austenite and ferrite. The SDSS needs to avoid the detrimental phases such as sigma(${\sigma}$), chi(${\chi}$), secondary austenite(${\gamma}2$), chromium carbide & nitride and to maintain the ratio of ferrite & austenite phase as well known. However, the effects of the subsequent weld thermal cycle were seldom experimentally studied on the micro-structural variation of weldment & pitting corrosion property. Therefore, the present study investigated the effect of the subsequent thermal cycle on the change of weld microstructure and pitting corrosion property at $40^{\circ}C$. The thermal history of root side was measured experimentally and the change of microstructure of weld root & the weight loss by pitting corrosion test were observed as a function of the thermal cycle of each weld layer. The ferrite contents of root weld were reduced with the subsequent weld thermal cycles. The pitting corrosion was occurred in the weld root region in case of the all pitted specimen & in the middle weld layer in some cases. And the weight loss by pitting corrosion was increased in proportional to the time exposed at high temperature of the root weld and also by the decrease of ferrite content. The subsequent weld thermal cycles destroy the phase balance of ferrite & austenite at the root weld. Conclusively, It is thought that as the more subsequent welds were added, the more the phase balance of ferrite & austenite was deviated from equality, therefore the pitting corrosion property was deteriorated by galvanic effect of the two phases and the increase of 2nd phases & grain boundary energy.