Boron segregation and elevated temperature embrittlement of ferritic steel

In zirconium-hydrogen alloys, rapid cooling from an elevated temperature causes precipitation of the face-centred tetragonal (fct) phase, γZrH, in the form of needles, parallel to the close-packed <1120>zr directions (1). With low hydrogen concentrations, the hydride solvus is sufficiently low that zirconium atom diffusion cannot occur. For example, with 6 μg/g hydrogen, the solvus temperature is approximately 370 K (2), at which only the hydrogen diffuses readily. Shears are therefore necessary to produce the crystallographic transformation from hexagonal close-packed (hep) zirconium to fct hydride.The simplest mechanism for the transformation is the passage of Shockley partial dislocations having Burgers vectors (b) of the type 1/3<0110> on every second (0001)Zr plane. If the partial dislocations are in the form of loops with the same b, the crosssection of a hydride precipitate will be as shown in fig.1. A consequence of this type of transformation is that a cumulative shear, S, is produced that leads to a strain field in the surrounding zirconium matrix, as illustrated in fig.2a.

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Microanalysis of precipitates in a ferritic steel

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100110234 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 618-619

Author(s):

J.M. Titchmarsh

Keyword(s):

Ferritic Steel ◽

Particle Identification ◽

Energy Dispersive ◽

Objective Lens ◽

Ferritic Steels ◽

Replica Technique ◽

X Ray ◽

Large Numbers ◽

Scanning Transmission ◽

Made In

The advances in recent years in the microanalytical capabilities of conventional TEM's fitted with probe forming lenses allow much more detailed investigations to be made of the microstructures of complex alloys, such as ferritic steels, than have been possible previously. In particular, the identification of individual precipitate particles with dimensions of a few tens of nanometers in alloys containing high densities of several chemically and crystallographically different precipitate types is feasible. The aim of the investigation described in this paper was to establish a method which allowed individual particle identification to be made in a few seconds so that large numbers of particles could be examined in a few hours.A Philips EM400 microscope, fitted with the scanning transmission (STEM) objective lens pole-pieces and an EDAX energy dispersive X-ray analyser, was used at 120 kV with a thermal W hairpin filament. The precipitates examined were extracted using a standard C replica technique from specimens of a 2¼Cr-lMo ferritic steel in a quenched and tempered condition.

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Microstructural characterization of a rapidly solidified Al-Fe-V-Si alloy for elevated temperature applications

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100104819 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 46 ◽

pp. 550-551

Author(s):

R. E. Franck ◽

J. A. Hawk ◽

G. J. Shiflet

Keyword(s):

High Temperature ◽

Elevated Temperature ◽

Grain Growth ◽

Volume Fraction ◽

Microstructural Characterization ◽

Second Phase ◽

Microstructural Stability ◽

Elevated Temperature Strength ◽

Temperature Applications

Rapid solidification processing (RSP) is one method of producing high strength aluminum alloys for elevated temperature applications. Allied-Signal, Inc. has produced an Al-12.4 Fe-1.2 V-2.3 Si (composition in wt pct) alloy which possesses good microstructural stability up to 425°C. This alloy contains a high volume fraction (37 v/o) of fine nearly spherical, α-Al12(Fe, V)3Si dispersoids. The improved elevated temperature strength and stability of this alloy is due to the slower dispersoid coarsening rate of the silicide particles. Additionally, the high v/o of second phase particles should inhibit recrystallization and grain growth, and thus reduce any loss in strength due to long term, high temperature annealing.The focus of this research is to investigate microstructural changes induced by long term, high temperature static annealing heat-treatments. Annealing treatments for up to 1000 hours were carried out on this alloy at 500°C, 550°C and 600°C. Particle coarsening and/or recrystallization and grain growth would be accelerated in these temperature regimes.

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