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

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.607-611
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• 2015

The microstructural evolution of Grade 91 tempered martensite ferritic steels heat treated at $760{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$ for two hours was investigated using scanning electron microscopy(SEM), energy disperse spectroscopy(EDS), electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscopy(TEM); a microhardness tester was also employed, with a focus on the grain and precipitate evolution process as well as on the main hardening element. It was found that an evolution of tempered martensite to ferrite($760{\sim}850^{\circ}C$), and to fresh martensite($900{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$), occurred with the increase of temperature. Simultaneously, the parabolic evolution characteristics of the low angle grain boundary(LAGB) increased with the increase of the heating temperature(highest fraction of LAGB at $925^{\circ}C$), indicating grain recovery upon intercritical heating. The main precipitate, $M_{23}C_6$, was found to be coarsened slightly at $760{\sim}850^{\circ}C$; it then dissolved at $850{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$. Besides this, $M_3C$ cementite was formed at $900{\sim}1000^{\circ}C$. Finally, the experimental results show that the hardness of the steel depended largely on the matrix structure, rather than on the precipitates, with the fresh martensite showing the highest hardness value.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2020

In this study, the effects of Co content on the microstructure and Charpy impact properties of Fe-Cr-W ferritic/martensitic oxide dispersion strengthened (F/M ODS) steels are investigated. F/M ODS steels with 0-5 wt% Co are fabricated by mechanical alloying, followed by hot isostatic pressing, hot-rolling, and normalizing/tempering heat treatment. All the steels commonly exhibit two-phase microstructures consisting of ferrite and tempered martensite. The volume fraction of ferrite increases with the increase in the Co content, since the Co element considerably lowers the hardenability of the F/M ODS steel. Despite the lowest volume fraction of tempered martensite, the F/M ODS steel with 5 wt% Co shows the highest micro-Vickers hardness, owing to the solid solution-hardening effect of the alloyed Co. The high hardness of the steel improves the resistance to fracture initiation, thereby resulting in the enhanced fracture initiation energy in a Charpy impact test at - 40℃. Furthermore, the addition of Co suppresses the formation of coarse oxide inclusions in the F/M ODS steel, while simultaneously providing a high resistance to fracture propagation. Owing to these combined effects of Co, the Charpy impact energy of the F/M ODS steel increases gradually with the increase in the Co content.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.53-60
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• 2017

The aim of this study is to examine a feasibility to substitute Ti for Ta in reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steel by comparing a Ti-added RAFM steel with a conventional Ta-added RAFM steel. The microstructures and mechanical properties of Ta-, and Ti-added RAFM steels were investigated and a relationship between microstructures and mechanical properties was considered based on quantitative analysis of precipitates in two RAFM steels. Ta-, and Ti-added RAFM steels were normalized at $1000{\sim}1040^{\circ}C$ for 30 min and tempered at $750^{\circ}C$ for 2 hr. Both RAFM steels had very similar microstructures, that is, typical tempered martensite with relatively coarse $M_{23}C_6$ carbides at boundaries of grain and lath, and fine MX precipitates inside laths. The MX precipitates were identified as TaC in Ta-added RAFM steel and TiC or (Ti, W)C in Ti-added RAFM steel, respectively. It is believed that these RAFM steels show similar tensile and Charpy impact properties due to similar microstructures. Precipitate hardening and brittle fracture strength calculated with quantitative analysis of precipitates elucidated well the similar behaviors on the tensile and Charpy impact properties of Ta-, and Ti-added RAFM steels.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.209-216
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• 2009

It was evaluated that the microstructural and mechanical properties of Ta-bearing 9Cr-0.5Mo-2W ferritic/martensitic experimental steels. All the experimental steels showed the tempered martensitic microstructures, and $M_{23}C_6$ carbides, whose sizes were ranged from 200 to 300 nm, were easily observed at both boundaries of the prior austenite grain and the martensite lath. In addition, a relatively large Nb-rich MX carbonitrides were intermittently detected at the prior austenite grain boundaries, whereas a lot of Vrich MX carbonitrides, whose mean diameter was less than 50 nm, were observed randomly at both boundaries. Ta was mainly incorporated into the V-rich MX carbonitrides rather than the Nb-rich ones and their content was spanned from 5 to 20 at.%. Ta contents within the MX precipitates also increased as the content of Ta increased. Because the Ta addition into the steels would be attributed to the precipitation strengthening, solid solution strengthening and lath width reduction, it was shown that the mechanical properties, including hardness, tensile strength and creep rate of the 9%Cr-0.5Mo-2W steels were improved by the increase of Ta content. Especially, 9Cr-0.5Mo-2W-0.3V-0.05Nb-0.14Ta steel was revealed to be relatively excellent in the application for the SFR fuel cladding.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.100-105
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• 2009

The high-temperature isothermal aging is studied in ultra-supercritical steel, which is attractive to the next generation of power plants. The effects of microstructure on reversible permeability are discussed. Isothermal aging was observed to coarsen the tempered carbide ($Cr_{23}C_6$), generate the intermetallic ($Fe_2W$) phase and grow rapidly during aging. The dislocation density also decreases steeply within lath interior. The dynamic coercivity, measured from the peak position of the reversible permeability profile decreased drastically during the initial 500 h aging period, and was thereafter observed to decrease only slightly. The variation in dynamic coercivity is closely related to the decrease in the number of pinning sites, such as dislocations, fine precipitates and the martensite lath.