Study of Mechanical Behavior and Microstructure for Low-Hardness P92 Steel
Abstract The strength of P92 steel (tensile strength, specified plastic elongation strength) will decrease after its hardness is reduced, ferrite and carbides forming the structure. Carbides of grain size 5-6 are precipitated in the grains and grain boundaries. The martensite lath shape has completely disappeared. M23C6 carbide coarsened obviously, with a maximum size of about 500nm; The Laves phase is also aggregated and coarsened, connecting in a chain shape with a maximum size of more than 500nm. Evolution of microstructure, namely the obvious coarsening of M23C6 carbides and the aggregation and connection of Laves phases in a chain shape, are the main causes for rapid decrease in the stability of the material substructure and evident decline in mechanical properties and hardness. In addition, the MX phase did not change significantly, hardly affecting the hardness reduction of P92 steel.