• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.666-671
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• 2015

In this study, we investigated the effect of the residual carbides and tempered carbides precipitated by tempering treatment after quenching on the pitting corrosion of mod. 440A martensitic stainless steel. In quenched specimens and tempered specimens after quenching of mod. 440A martensitic stainless steel, the volume fraction of the residual carbides and total carbides decreased with the increase of the austenitizing temperature. Pitting resistance increased with the increase of austenitizing temperature. With the increase of the volume fraction of the residual and total carbides, the pitting resistance of mod. 440A martensitic stainless steel was decreased. The pitting resistance of mod. 0.5C-17Cr-0.5Ni 440A martensitic stainless steel had stronger affected by residual carbides than precipitated carbides produced by tempering.

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

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.281-289
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• 2016

The effect of nitrogen on the electrochemical corrosion and nanomechanical behaviors of martensitic stainless steel was examined using potentiodynamic polarization and nanoindentation test methods. The results indicate that partial replacement of carbon with nitrogen effectively improved the passivation and pitting corrosion resistance of conventional high-carbon and high- chromium martensitic steels. Post-test observation of the samples after a potentiodynamic test revealed a severe pitting attacks in conventional martensitic steel compared with nitrogen- containing martensitic stainless steel. This was shown to be due to (i) microstructural refinement results in retaining a high-chromium content in the matrix, and (ii) the presence of reversed austenite formed during the tempering process. Since nitrogen addition also resulted in the formation of a $Cr_2N$ phase as a process of secondary hardening, the hardness of the nitrogen- containing steel is slightly higher than the conventional martensitic stainless steel under tempered conditions, even though the carbon content is lowered. The added nitrogen also improved the wear resistance of the steel as the critical load (Lc2) is less, along with a lower scratch friction coefficient (SFC) when compared to conventional martensitic stainless steel such as AISI 440C.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2006

Martensitic stainless steel is used when mechanical properties such as high tensile strength and hardness are required. Medium carbon-contained martensitic stainless steel which contains more than 0.2 wt% of carbon should be heat-treated and quenched at the temperature where undissolved carbides are totally dissolved into the matrix. In particular, the dissolution and reprecipitation behaviors of various forms of carbides are affected by such parameters as heating rate, heating temperature, duration time and cooling rate. This study is to investigate the effects of heat treatment parameters of 14Cr-3Mo martensitic stainless on corrosion resistance and phase transformation in relation to the dissolution and reprecipitation of carbides.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.255-259
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• 2002

VIRGO 104 is a low carbon martensitic stainless steel that is applied to the famous Three Gorges Project. By using VOD melting process VIRGO 104 has low carbon and [H] [O] contents, and shows excellent mechanical properties and weldability. The best solution to guarantee welding quality is PWHT by 600 Cx8h.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.3-9
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• 2006

The phase changes, nitride precipitation and hardness variations of 14%Cr-6.7Ni-0.65Mo-0.26Nb-0.05V-0.03C super martensitic stainless steel were investigated after nitrogen permeation heat treatment at a temperature range between $1050^{\circ}C$ and $1150^{\circ}C$. The nitrogen-permeated surface layer was transformed into austenite. The rectangular type NbN, NbCrN precipitates and fine round type precipitate were coexisted in the surface austenite layer, while the interior region that was free from nitrogen permeation kept the martensitic phase. The hardness of surface austenite showed 280 Hv, while the interior region of martensite phase represented 340 Hv. When tempering the nitrogen-permeated steel at $450^{\circ}C$, a maximum hardness of 433 Hv was appeared, probably this is attributed to the secondary hardening effect of the precipitates. The nitrogen concentration decreased gradually with increasing depth below the surface after showing a maximum of 0.3% at the outmost surface. The strong affinity between nitrogen and Cr enabled the substitutional element Cr to move from interiors to the surface when nitrogen diffuse form surface to the interior. Corrosion resistance of nitrogen permeated steel was superior to that of solution-anneaed steel in the solution of 1N $H_2SO_4$.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.249-256
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• 2019

The 9Cr-1Mo ferritic-martensitic ODS steel is a promising structural material for the next generation nuclear power plants including fast reactors for application in reactor vessels and nuclear fuel. The ODS steel was cooled down by furnace cooling, air cooling, oil quenching and water quenching, respectively, after normalizing it at $1150^{\circ}C$ for 1 h and then tempering at $780^{\circ}C$ for 1 h. It is found that grain size, a relative portion of ferrite and martensite, martensitic lath configuration, behaviors of carbide precipitates, and hardness of the ODS steel are strongly dependent on a cooling rate. The grain size and martensitic lath width become smaller with the increase in a cooling rate. The carbides were precipitated at the grain boundaries formed between the ferrite and martensite phases and at the martensitic lath interfaces. In addition, the carbide precipitates become smaller and more widely dispersed with the increase in a cooling rate, resulting in that the faster cooling rate generated the higher hardness of the ODS steel.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.115-120
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• 2012

It has been known that the ferritic stainless steel can be changed to martensitic stainless steel when nitrogen is added. However the high hardness of martensitic stainless steel prevents the plastic deformation. In this study, instead of martensite, the surface microstructure was changed into nitrogen pearlite to increase the plastic deformation easily by isothermal heat treatment after high temperature gas nitriding (HTGN) the AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel. The isothermal treatment was carried out at $780^{\circ}C$ for 4, 6, and 10 hrs, respectively, after HTGN treatment at $1100^{\circ}C$ for 10 hrs. The surface layer of isothermal-treated steel appeared nitrogen pearlite composed with fine chromium nitride and ferrite. Hence, the interior region that was not affected by nitrogen permeation exhibited ferrite phase. When quenching the isothermal treated steel at 1100oC, martensitic phase formed at the surface layer. The hardness of surface layer of isothermal-treated steel and quenched steel measured the value of 150~240 Hv and 630 Hv, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.518-524
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• 2016

The thermal aging effects on mechanical properties and microstructures in China low-activation martensitic steel have been tested by aging at $550^{\circ}C$ for 2,000 hours, 4,000 hours, and 10,000 hours. The microstructure was analyzed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the grain size and martensitic lath increased by about $4{\mu}m$ and $0.3{\mu}m$, respectively, after thermal exposure at $550^{\circ}C$ for 10,000 hours. MX type particles such as TaC precipitated on the matrix and Laves-phase was found on the martensitic lath boundary and grain boundary on aged specimens. The mechanical properties were investigated with tensile and Charpy impact tests. Tensile properties were not seriously affected by aging. Neither yield strength nor ultimate tensile strength changed significantly. However, the ductile-brittle transition temperature of China low-activation martensitic steel increased by $46^{\circ}C$ after aging for 10,000 hours due to precipitation and grain coarsening.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2018

The influence of electric current on the springback characteristics of AZX311 magnesium alloy and martensitic steel after V-bending test is investigated. Various pulsed electric currents are applied into the specimens followed by a V-bending test, and the changes in the springback angle are measured. In order to evaluate not only the thermal effect but also the athermal effect of electric current on the springback angle, the temperature rises resulting from the applied electric current are measured for all test conditions. As a result, it was found that the springback is significantly decreased as the current density increases. As for the martensitic steel, since the dislocation recovery immoderately occurs at a high electric current density condition of $80A/mm^2$, the optimal current density condition should be required.