Microstructure Evolution and Pinning of Boundaries by Precipitates in a 9 pct Cr Heat Resistant Steel During Creep

Structural changes in a 9 pct Cr martensitic steel during a creep test at 923 K (720 degrees C) under the applied stress of 118 MPa were examined. The tempered martensite lath structure (TMLS) was characterized by M23C6-type carbide particles with an average size of about 110 nm and MX-type carbonitrides with a size of 40 nm. The M23C6 particles were located on the packet/block/lath boundaries, whereas the MX precipitates were distributed homogeneously throughout TMLS. TMLS in the grip portion of the crept specimen changed scarcely during the tests. In contrast, the structural changes in the gauge section of the samples were characterized by the evolution of relatively large subgrains with remarkably lowered density of interior dislocations within former martensite laths. The formation of a well-defined subgrain structure in the gauge section was accompanied by the coarsening of M23C6 carbides and precipitations of Laves phase during creep. The most pronounced structural changes occurred just at the beginning of the tertiary creep regime, which was interpreted as a result of the change in the mechanism of grain boundary pinning by precipitates. DOI: 10.1007/s11661-011-0899-1 (C) The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2011