Effect of Laves phase strengthening on the mechanical properties of high Cr ferritic steels for solid oxide fuel cell interconnect application

Two types of high chromium ferritic steels envisaged as construction materials for SOFC interconnects, were investigated in respect to microstructure and creep in the proposed application temperature range from 700 to 800 degrees C. The steel compositions mainly differed in the amounts of the Laves phase forming elements Nb, W and Si. The steel containing these alloying additions exhibited substantially higher creep resistance in the temperature range 700-800 degrees C than the high purity steel. The Laves phase formation occurred trans- as well as intragranular whereby the extent and size of grain boundary precipitates increased with increasing exposure time. Especially at 800 degrees C the precipitates inside the grains virtually completely vanished after longer exposure times and only intergranular precipitates remained. This change in precipitate morphology resulted especially at 800 degrees C in a decrease of creep resistance with increasing exposure time, although the Laves phase containing steel still exhibited higher creep strength than the high purity steel. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.