Measurement and microstructural evaluation of creep-induced changes in magnetic properties of a 410 stainless steel

There is a compelling desire by power generating plants to continue running existing stations and components for several more years, despite many of them have surpassed their design service life. The idea is to avoid premature retirement, on the basis of the so-called design life, because actual useful life could often be well in excess of the, design life. This can most readily be achieved by utilizing nondestructive monitoring methods to monitor the degradation of the microstructure, either when a station is down for maintenance or preferably when it is under operation. This study evaluates the use of quasi static hysteresis measurements as a possible procedure to evaluate creep in a 410 martensitic stainless steel, a material utilized in power plant components. The creep rupture tests were conducted at stresses of 100 and 200 MPa, temperatures of 500degreesC and 620degreesC, and the times varied between 48 and 120 hours. Following the creep tests all specimens were evaluated magnetically and then metallurgically by optical and scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD) and by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The microstructural changes were compared with the magnetization changes. It was determined that the changes in the hysteresis curves were clearly detectable and correlated with the creep-induced damage. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.