The Effect of Nb and Ti on Structure and Mechanical Properties of 12Ni-25Cr-0.4C Austenitic Heat-Resistant Steel after Aging at 900 °C for 1000 h

Austenitic heat-resistant steels are particularly suitable for applications where service conditions comprise high temperature. The demand for better performance has motivated developments in these steels. In this work, Ti and Nb were added to austenitic heat-resistant steels, Fe-12Ni-25Cr-0.4C, wt.% simultaneously. Microstructural changes were studied via scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), optical microscopy, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) in as-cast condition and after aging in 900 °C for 1000 h. Mechanical properties were measured using tensile tests, impact energy, and Vickers hardness. It was observed that by formation of NbC and TiC, the level of fragmentation of the chromium carbides increased, as a positive aspect for mechanical properties. XRD and EDS results show increasing the amount of Ti can inhibit G-phase transformation.