Effect of Long-Term Creep on Microstructure of a 9% Cr Heat Resistant Steel

Abstract

Abstract. The effect of long-term creep at 600°C under 137 MPa on the microstructure of a P92-type steel was investigated. The microstructure after tempering consisted of laths with an average thickness of 400 nm. Dispersion of secondary phases consists of M 23 C 6 carbides with an average size of 85 nm located mainly on lath, block and prior austenite boundaries and MX carbonitrides with average size of 31 nm homogeniously distributed throughout. Creep with duration of 40738 hours led to coarsening of M 23 C 6 carbides up to 182 nm. Precipitation of Laves phase with an average size of 290 nm took place in both grip and gauge portions of ruptured specimen. Vanadium-rich MX particles were replaced by particles of Z-phase with sizes of 97 and 48 nm after long-term creep and aging, respectively. The average misorientation of the lath boundaries was approximately 2° and scarcely varied during creep, while the mean lath thickness increased to 890 nm in gauge section of ruptured specimen and remained essentially unchanged in the grip section. Dislocation density decreased slightly under long-range aging and creep.