• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.303-308
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• 2011

The effect of heat treatment on the micro-structures and the mechanical properties of 0.002% boron added low carbon steel was investigated. The tensile strength reached the peak at about $880-890^{\circ}C$ with the rising quenching temperature and then the hardness decreased sharply, but the tensile strength hardly decreased. The tensile and yield strength decreased and the total elongation increased with a rising tempering temperature, but the tensile and yield strength sharply fell and the total elongation prominently increased from above a $400-450^{\circ}C$ tempering temperature. Tempered martensite embrittlement (TME) was observed at tempering condition of $350-400^{\circ}C$. In the condition of quenching at $890^{\circ}C$ and tempering at $350^{\circ}C$, the boron precipitates were observed as Fe-C-B and BN together. The hardness decreased in proportion to the tempering temperature untill $350^{\circ}C$ and dropped sharply above $400^{\circ}C$ regardless of the quenching temperature.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2008

Through mechanical alloying, hot isostatic pressing and hot rolling, a 9%Cr Fe-based oxide dispersion-strengthened alloy sample was fabricated. The tensile strength of the alloy is significantly improved when the microstructure is modified during the post-consolidation process. The alloy samples were strengthened as the cooling rates increased, though the elongation was somewhat reduced. With a cooling rate of $800^{\circ}C/s$ after normalization at $1150^{\circ}C$, the alloy sample showed a tensile strength of 1450 MPa, which is about twice that of the hot rolled sample; however, at $600^{\circ}C$ the tensile strength dramatically decreased to 620 MPa. Optical microscope and transmission electron microscope were used to investigate the microstructural changes of the specimens. The resultant strengthening of the alloy sample could be mainly attributed to the interstitially dissolved nitrogen, the fraction of the tempered martensite, the fine grain and the presence of a smaller precipitate. The decrease in the tensile strength was mainly caused by the precipitation of vanadium-rich nitride.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.725-731
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• 2023

In this study, the harmless crack size was evaluated using carburized, quenched-tempered SCM822H steel. The possibility of detecting cracks that reduce the fatigue limit by non-destructive inspection was evaluated. The conclusions obtained are as follows. The retained austenite of surface was reduced by SP. About 35% and 65% of the retained austenite on the surface were transformed into strain-induced martensite, increasing the hardness by 79HV and 122HV over the as-received material. The maximum compressive residual stresses introduced on the surfaces were -695 MPa and -688 MPa, respectively. The fatigue limit increased by 1.48 times and 1.67 times, respectively, compared to the as-received material. The harmless crack size of SP specimen was determined differently depending on the shot ball size.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 2024

This study examined how varying tempering temperatures affect the susceptibility of Cr-Mo low alloy steels to hydrogen embrittlement. A slow strain-rate test (SSRT) was carried out on the steels electrochemically pre-charged with hydrogen in order to examine the hydrogen embrittlement behavior. The results showed that the hydrogen embrittlement resistance of the Cr-Mo low alloy steels improved with increasing tempering temperature. Thermal desorption analysis (TDA) revealed that diffusible hydrogen content decreased with increasing tempering temperature, accompanied by a slight increase in the peak temperature. This decrease in hydrogen content was likely due to a reduction in dislocation density which served as reversible hydrogen trap sites. These findings underline the significant role of tempering temperature in enhancing the hydrogen embrittlement resistance of Cr-Mo low alloy steels.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.628-634
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• 2011

SA508 Gr.4N Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel, in which Ni and Cr contents are higher than in commercial SA508 Gr.3 Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steels, may be a candidate reactor pressure vessel (RPV) material with higher strength and toughness from its tempered martensitic microstructure. The inner surface of the RPV is weld-cladded with stainless steels to prevent corrosion. The goal of this study is to evaluate the microstructural properties of the clad interface between Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel and stainless weldment, and the effects of post weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the properties. The properties of the clad interface were compared with those of commercial Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel. Multi-layer welding of model alloys with ER308L and ER309L stainless steel by the SAW method was performed, and then PWHT was conducted at $610^{\circ}C$ for 30 h. The microstructural changes of the clad interface were analyzed using OM, SEM and TEM, and micro-Vickers hardness tests were performed. Before PWHT, the heat affected zone (HAZ) showed higher hardness than base and weld metals due to formation of martensite after welding in both steels. In addition, the hardness of the HAZ in Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel was higher than that in Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel due to a comparatively high martensite fraction. The hardness of the HAZ decreased after PWHT in both steels, but the dark region was formed near the fusion line in which the hardness was locally high. In the case of Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel, formation of fine Cr-carbides in the weld region near the fusion line by diffusion of C from the base metal resulted in locally high hardness in the dark region. However, the precipitates of the region in the Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel were similar to that in the base metal, and the hardness in the region was not greatly different from that in the base metal.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.15-23
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• 2016

The effects of austenitizing temperature and cooling rate on precipitation behavior and tensile properties were investigated in an Mn-Mo-Nb-V pressure vessel steel. During austenitizing, it was shown that the austenite coarsening was somewhat suppressed by undissolved NbC. After cooling from austenitizing, the microstructure of all the steels mainly consisted of upper bainite. However, the steel comprised a little lower bainite and martensite in the case of aqua oil quenching from $1000^{\circ}C$, which would be due to increased hardenability by partly dissolved Nb and comparatively large austenite grains. The average size of NbC in austenite at higher temperature was analyzed to be smaller than that at lower temperature because of the more dissolution. It was found that the NbC did not grow much during fast cooling from austenitizing. Meanwhile, the NbC grew much during slow cooling, probably due to wide temperature range of cooling and sufficiently long time for NbC to grow. It was conjectured the V precipitates newly formed and/or grew during cooling from austenitizing and during tempering. On the other hand, the formation of NbC was almost completed before tempering and little more precipitated during tempering. Among the tempered steels, the steel which was fast cooled from $1000^{\circ}C$ showed the highest tensile strength, which seemed to come from the microstructure of fine upper bainite and some low temperature phases as well as the comparatively fine NbC precipitates.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.282-289
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• 2009

The effects of the high temperature gas nitriding (HTGN), tempering and subzero treatment of STD11 steel have been investigated. HTGN treatment was carried out at $1050^{\circ}C$, $1100^{\circ}C$ and $1150^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr. in an atmosphere of $1\;kg/cm^2$ nitrogen gas. Tempering and double-tempering were performed at $550^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr. The surface layer of HTGN-treated steel appeared the precipitates of $M_2N$, $M_7C_3$ and $M_{23}C_6$ in the matrix of austenite. However, the interior region exhibited martensite with the precipitation of carbides. The nitrogen content of the surface layer appeared ~1.35 wt.%, ~0.83 wt.% and ~0.56 wt.% at the HTGN treatment temperature of $1050^{\circ}C$, $1100^{\circ}C$ and $1150^{\circ}C$, respectively. The surface hardness of double-tempered and subzero-treated steel measured the maximum value of 828 Hv, 960 Hv, 750 HV after HTGN treatment at the $1050^{\circ}C$, $1100^{\circ}C$ and $1150^{\circ}C$, respectively. These hardness value increased above 230~420 Hv compared with the HTGN-treated steel due to the decrease in retained austenite and existence of fine precipitates.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.97-104
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• 2011

Modified C95600 bronze contains Fe component of 0.7 weight percentage besides Cu-7Al-2.5Si composition. The shape of centrifugal cast is a circular pipe with thick wall. Specimens machined from the centrifugal cast were quenched in oil after isothermal holding at a given heat treatment temperature in the range of $700{\sim}900^{\circ}C$. Mechanical properties and structural morphology are depended on the quenching heat treatment temperature regardless of isothermal holding time. Tensile strength or Brinell hardness is increased with increasing heat treatment temperature. The microstructure caused by quenching contains mixing phases of ${\alpha}+{\beta}'+FeSi+{\kappa}$ which martensite of ${\beta}'$ phase has been transformed from ${\beta}$ phase. Effect of isothermal holding temperature on mechanical properties in case of quenching heat treatment attributes to the change of volume fraction of ${\beta}'$ on the structural morphology. Mechanical characteristics of specimen, initially quenched from $850^{\circ}C$, and then tempered at $500^{\circ}C$, does not show an obvious softening indication, because disappearance of ${\beta}'$ during tempering process can be compensated by precipitation of brittle phase ${\gamma}$.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.100-106
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• 2014

There is a growing need to introduce advanced pressure vessel steels with higher strength and toughness for the optimizatiooCn of the design and construction of longer life and larger capacity nuclear power plants. SA508 Gr.4N Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steels have superior strength and fracture toughness, compared to SA508 Gr.3 Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel. Therefore, the application of SA508 Gr.4N low alloy steel could be considered to satisfy the strength and toughness required in advanced nuclear power plants. The purpose of this study is to characterize the microstructure and mechanical properties of SA508 Gr.4N low alloy steels. 1 ton ingot of SA508 Gr.4N model alloy was fabricated by vacuum induction melting followed by forging, quenching, and tempering. The predominant microstructure of the SA508 Gr.4N model alloy is tempered martensite having small packet and fine Cr-rich carbides. The yield strength at room temperature was 540MPa, and it was decreased with an increase of test temperature while DSA phenomenon occurred at around $288^{\circ}C$. Overall transition property of SA508 Gr.4N model alloy was much better than SA508 Gr.3 low alloy steel. The index temperature, $T_{41J}$, of SA508 Gr.4N model alloy was $-132^{\circ}C$ in Charpy impact tests, and reference nil-ductility transition temperature, $RT_{NDT}$ of $-105^{\circ}C$ was obtained from drop weight tests. From the fracture toughness tests performed in accordance with the ASTM standard E1921 Master curve method, the reference temperature, $T_0$ was $-147^{\circ}C$, which was improved more than $60^{\circ}C$ compared to SA508 Gr.3 low alloy steels.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.390-396
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• 2000

The dynamic elastic constants of the simulated weld HAZ (heat-affected zone) of SA 508 Class 3 reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steel were investigated by resonant ultrasound spectroscopy (RUS). The resonance frequencies of rectangular parallelepiped samples woe calculated from the initial estimates of elastic stiffness $c_{11},\;c_{12}\;and\;c_{44}$ with an assumption of isotropic property, dimension and density. Through the comparison of calculated resonant frequencies with the measured resonant frequencies by RUS, very accurate elastic constants of SA 508 Class 3 steel were determined by iteration and convergence processes. Clear differences of Youngs modulus and shear modulus were shown from samples with different thermal cycles and microstructures. Youngs modulus and shear modulus of samples with fine-grained bainite were higher than those with coarse-grained tempered martensite. This tendency was confirmed from other results such as micro-hardness test.