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Procedia Engineering 55 (2013) 277 – 283

6th International Conference on Cree

ep, Fatigue and Creep-Fatigue Interaction [CF-6
6]

Effect of Tungsten on M Mechanical Properties of Reduced

Activation Ferritic-Martennsitic Steel Subjected to Intercriticcal
Heaat Treatment
C.S.Sasmala*, K.S.Chandravvathib, M.Nandagopalb, S.Panneer Selvib,
P.Parameswaranb, K.Lahab, M. D
D.Mathewb, T.Jayakumarb, E.Rajendra Kumara
a
Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar - 382428, India
b
Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam - 603102, India

Abstract

Fusion welded joint of RAFM steel as in other ferritic steels possesses lower creep rupture strength than the base steeel. The
failure in the joint is associated with the soft inteercritical region of heat affected zone, which is subjected to t peak
temperatures in between Ac1 and Ac3 during weld theermal cycle. In this investigation effort has been initiated to und derstand
the effect of tungsten in softening the 9Cr-W R RAFM steels on intercritical temperature exposure. Metallographic
investigations were carried out on the heat-treated steeels by optical and transmission electron microscopes. The steeels at all
heat treated conditions had tempered martensitic structure. Refinement of prior austenitic grain of the steels was notticed on
soaking in the intercritical temperature range. The graain size of the steels increased with soaking at temperatures welll above
the Ac3 transformation temperature. TEM investigatiion revealed that the martensitic laths were decorated with M23C6 type
of carbides and the presence of MX type of (Ta,V)C carbides inside the laths. Hardness, tensile and creep tests were carried
mperatures in and around Ac1 and Ac3 transformation temperatu
on the steels to elucidate the effects of soaking at tem ures. All
the steels suffered reduction in mechanical strengthh after soaking at temperatures in the intercritical temperaturee range.
Different softening tendency of the RAFM steel hhaving different tungsten content on intercritical annealing haas been
explained based on the microstructural investigation.

© 2013
© 2013ThePublished by Elsevier
Authors. Published Ltd. Selection
by Elsevier and/oor
Ltd. Open access peer-review
under under
CC BY-NC-ND responsibility of the Indira Gandhi Cen
license. ntre for
Atomic Research
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research.

Keywords: RAFM; HAZ; creep; tensile; precipitates

1. Introduction

Materials development is a key issue for the realization of future fusion reactor. Reduced activation 9Cr-
ferritic-martensitic steels are being presently considered as main candidate materials for the firsst wall

*
Corresponding author:
Email address: cssasmal@gmail.com

1877-7058 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research.
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2013.03.254
278 C.S. Sasmal et al. / Procedia Engineering 55 (2013) 277 – 283

components of future fusion reactor. Ferritic-martensitic steels have been considered because of their inherent
void swelling resistance and better thermo-physical and thermo-mechanical properties compare to those of the
austenitic stainless steels. However, they suffer from reduction in toughness induced by low temperature
neutron irradiation, characterized by a shift in Ductile to Brittle Transition Temperature (DBTT) to higher
temperature. These steels have chemical compositions similar to that of modified 9Cr-1Mo (9Cr-1Mo-0.1C-
0.22V-0.06Nb) steel with the difference that the Mo and Nb being substituted with W and Ta respectively from
residual radioactive point of view [1]. The presence of highly residual radioactive elements (Ni, Co, Cu, Al and
Si etc.) is also kept as low as possible levels. International efforts to develop RAFM steel have focused on
varying tungsten in the range 1 to 2 wt. % and tantalum in the range 0.02 to 0.18 wt. %. Tungsten addition
increases creep rupture strength but decreases toughness properties. Tantalum in the RAFM steel plays an
important role in lowering DBTT through its effect on prior-austenitic grain size refinement. However, higher
tantalum decreases the weldability [2-5].
Being a ferritic steel, the microstructure of the RAFM steel depends on the normalizing and tempering heat
treatments. A variety of microstructure having appreciably different mechanical properties can be developed in
the steel depending upon the normalizing temperature due to phase transformation. Heat Affected Zone (HAZ)
of fusion welded joint of ferritic steel is a typical example where a variety of microstructures developed
because of the exposure to different peak temperatures ranging from below Ac1 to above Ac3 and Ac4
transformation temperatures during weld thermal cycle. A knowledge of the microstructures developed in the
RAFM steel on normalization is required to estimate the mechanical property of the steel especially its weld
joint.
In this work, correlation between microstructure and mechanical properties of RAFM steel having different
tungsten content has been investigated. Different microstructures in the steels have been produced on
subjecting the steels different normalization at temperatures in the range below Ac1 to above Ac3
transformation temperatures.

2. Experimental

Three heats of RAFM steels having different tungsten content in the range 1 – 2 wt. % have been produced
in collaboration with MIDHANI, Hyderabad. The steels were subjected to final normalizing (980oC for 30
minutes) and tempering (760oC for 90 minutes) heat treatments and delivered in the form of plate with
dimension 12mm x 500mm x 1000mm. The chemical compositions of the steels are given in the Table 1. The
steels are designated as 9Cr-1W-0.06Ta, 9Cr-1.4W-0.06Ta and 9Cr-2W-0.06Ta based on their tungsten
content.
Samples of dimensions around 10 × 10 × 10 mm from each steel were soaked for 5 minutes at various peak
temperatures in the range of 750oC to 1200oC followed by oil quenching. The temperature range was below
Ac1 temperature (830oC) to well above the Ac3 transformation temperature ( 875oC) of the RAFM steel. The
quenched steel samples were subsequently tempered at 760oC for 1 hour. Specimens in the as-quenched and
tempered conditions were metallographically prepared for microstructural and hardness investigations. An
immersion etching in Villela’s reagent (1gram picric acid and 5 ml hydrochloric acid in 95 ml ethanol) was
found adequate to reveal the microstructure of the RAFM steels. Vickers hardness measurement was carried
out at room temperature under the load of 10 kg. The prior austenite grain size of the heat treated steels was
measured by linear intercept method employing optical and scanning electron microscopes.
Selected heat treatments with normalizing temperatures in between below Ac1 to above Ac3 and subsequent
tempering at 760 oC for 1 hour were performed on the bigger sample of the steels for carrying out tensile and
creep tests. Tensile tests have been carried out at room temperature at a nominal strain rate 3x10-4s-1. Tensile
tests at 550 oC were carried out at the same strain rate. Creep tests have been carried out with stress 240 MPa at
550 oC.
 C.S. Sasmal et al. / Procedia Engineering 55 (2013) 277 – 283 279

Table.1. Chemical composition (wt. %) of three heats of 9Cr-W-0.06Ta RAFM steel.

Element 9Cr-1.0W-0.06Ta 9Cr-1.4W-0.06Ta 9Cr-2.0W-0.06Ta

Cr 9.05 9.03 8.99

C 0.08 0.12 0.12

Mn 0.56 0.56 0.65

V 0.23 0.24 0.24

W 1.0 1.38 2.06

Ta 0.06 0.06 0.06

N 0.02 0.03 0.02

O 0.002 0.002 0.002

P 0.002 < 0.002 0.002

S 0.001 <0.001 0.001

B 0.0005 <0.0005 <0.0005

Ti 0.002 <0.005 <0.005

Nb 0.003 <0.001 <0.001

Mo 0.009 <0.002 <0.002

Ni 0.007 0.005 0.004

Cu 0.005 0.002 0.002

Al 0.003 0.003 0.003

Si 0.05 0.06 0.06

Co 0.004 <0.005 0.005

As+Sn+Sb <0.002 <0.004 <0.001

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Microstructure and hardness of the steel

The 9Cr-ferritic steels are generally used in normalized and tempered condition. It has tempered martensitic
structure. Typical optical microstructures of the steel soaked for 5 minutes at a temperature in the range of 750
-1150 oC are shown in Fig. 1 for the 9Cr-1W-0.06Ta steel. Similar microstructures were obtained for the other
two steels. The prior austenitic grain size of the steel was found to vary appreciably with the soaking
temperature Fig. 2. Figures 3 displays the variations in hardness of the steels with soaking temperature in the
as-quenched and tempered conditions respectively. Soaking the steel at temperatures below Ac1 (830oC) for 5
minutes could cause a little change in initial microstructure (Fig.1(a)) and hardness of the steel (Fig.3).
Intercritical (between Ac1 (830oC) and Ac3 (875oC)) soaking resulted in decrease of the prior austenitic grain
size (Fig. 1(b) and Fig. 2) and increase in the hardness of the as-quenched steel (Fig. 3(a)). Larger amount of
freshly formed martensite derived from the transformation of austenite-developed during intercritical soaking
and increased the hardness of the steel. Soaking the steel above Ac3 temperature resulted in coarsening the prior
austenitic grain (Fig. 1(c)). Both the grain size and the hardness increased on soaking at temperatures beyond
Ac3. With the increase in soaking temperature above Ac3, prior existing alloy carbonitrides dissolved along
with the austenitization. The dissolution of carbonitrides increased with the increase in soaking temperature.
280 C.S. Sasmal et al. / Procedia Engineering 55 (2013) 277 – 283

This would enrich the alloy content in solutionn of the austenite. On cooling, the austenite would transfform to
finer martensite due to depression of Ms tempperature because of solute enrichment, leading to increease in
hardness with soaking temperature above Ac3[66]. The prior austenitic grain size increased progressivelly with
soaking at temperatures from close to Ac3 upto around 1050 oC followed by a rapid increase. Persistencee of the
prior-existing carbonitrides at soaking temperatuures below 1050 oC impeded grain growth of the austenitte. The
impeding action was lost due to the complete dissolution of alloy carbonitrides at temperatures beyond 10 050 oC
and the grain size increased with the increasse in soaking temperature. The increase in tungsten content c
appeared to have no appreciable effect on the grain
g size of the steel for normalizing temperatures below
w 1050
o
C. However, above 1050 oC increase tungsten content
c decrease the grain size.

(a) (b)

M23
MX

(c) (d)

Fig. 1. Microstructure of 9Cr-1W-0.06Ta RAFM M steel after 5 minutes soaking at the indicated temperature followed by
oil quenching. (a) 750oC, (b) 850oC, (c) 1050oC, (d) TEM micrograph indicate MX and M23C6 precipitate.

Tempering at 760 oC for 1 hour decreased the t hardness of the steel in all microstructural condition ns (Fig.
3(b)). On tempering, a noticeable reduction in hardness
h of the steel was seen for soaking at temperaturess in the
intercritical temperature range, resulting in a harrdness trough. In comparison, the steel suffered a very maarginal
decrease in hardness on tempering when soakked at temperatures below Ac1. The RAFM steel derives its
strength from the complex microstructures consisting
c of a high dislocation density, cell and su ubgrain
boundaries decorated with M23C6 carbides and very v fine coherent intragranular Ta-V carbides of the MX X type.
TEM investigation confirmed the precipitation of o M23C6 and MX type carbides on (Fig. 1(d)). The reducction in
hardness due to intercritical heating has been repported to be due to (i) replacement of martensite laths witth high
dislocation density by large subgrains with low w dislocation density, and (ii) the coarsening of M23C6 caarbides
[7]. Soaking the steel at temperatures much higher than the Ac3 resulted in martensitic structure witth high
dislocation, with the consequence of increased in hardness (Fig.3). The tungsten content had quite sign nificant
 C.S. Sasmal et al. / Procedia Engineering 55 (2013) 277 – 283 281

effect on the hardness of the steel on intercritical annealing. The reduction in hardness of the RAFM steel was
comparatively less in the higher tungsten contained steel (Fig. 3).

Fig. 2. Variation in prior austenite grain size of RAFM steel with 5 minutes soaking temperature followed by oil quenching.

(a) (b)
Fig.3. Variation in hardness of RAFM steels with 5 minutes soaking temperature.
(a) in the as-quenched condition and (b) in tempered condition.

3.2. Tensile properties

Tensile tests were carried out on the steel in different microstructural state in 760 OC for 1 hour tempered
condition. The steel at all microstructural state conditions showed monotonic smooth stress-strain curves for
the tensile tests. The variations of 0.2% offset yield strength and the ultimate tensile strength with soaking
temperature as shown in Fig. 4. The strength was found to increase with soaking temperature above Ac3 at all
test temperatures. The higher strength of coarse grain martensite (Fig.1(c)) (grain size above Ac3) may be
attributed to its fine martensite structure with smaller lath and packetsize and fine distribution of carbides [6].
The rearrangement of the martensitic lath with high dislocation density into equiaxed cell, the replacement of
needle shape particles with round smaller particles and reduction of misfit of VN particles within the matrix
may be the reason for the reduction in tensile strength of the steel subjected to annealing in intercritical range.
282 C.S. Sasmal et al. / Procedia Engineering 55 (2013) 277 – 283

(a) (b)
Fig.4. Variation in (a) ultimate tensile strength and (b) yield strength (b) of RAFM steels with
5 minutes soaking temperature in the tempered condition.

3.3. Creep properties

Figure 5 shows the creep rupture life and creep strain curve for all steels at 550OC. The creep rupture life
increases with the increasing in tungsten concentration or by the addition of MC carbide forming elements V
and Ta. The creep deformation of this steel was characterized by a small instantaneous strain on loading, a
transient primary stage, an apparent secondary stage, followed by a prolonged tertiary creep regime. It has been
revealed that, in normalized and tempered 9Cr-martensitic steel, the transient creep is a consequence of the
movement and annihilation of excess dislocations and that the acceleration creep is a consequence of gradual
loss of creep strength due to the microstructural instability of the material on creep exposure [7]. The creep
rupture life was found to increase with soaking temperature above Ac3 for all steels at a temperature 550 oC.

(a) (b)

. Fig.5. Variation in creep rupture life of RAFM steels with 5 minutes soaking temperature (a) in the tempered condition and (b) creep
curve of RAFM steel tested at 550OC.
 C.S. Sasmal et al. / Procedia Engineering 55 (2013) 277 – 283 283

4. Conclusions

• The prior austenite grain size and hardness (after tempering) of the steel decreased when heated in and
around the Ac3 transformation temperature. Further heating above Ac3, resulted in increase in the grain size
and hardness of the steels.
• Subjecting the steel to inter-critical heating reduced its hardness and tensile strength. The tensile strength of
the steel increased with soaking temperature above the Ac3. The reduction in tensile strength was less for
steel having higher tungsten content.
• The creep rupture life of this RAFM steels increases with increasing in W concentration. The creep rupture
life is less in inter-critical soaking temperature and it increases as the soaking temperature increases above
Ac3 temperature.
• The sub-boundary hardening is the most important strengthening mechanism in the creep of these steels and
is enhanced by the distribution of precipitate along boundaries.

Acknowledgement

Authors wish to acknowledge M/s MIDHANI, Hyderabad, the special public sector steel making company
of the India, for producing the RAFM steel. They also thank the team members, involved in the experimental
setup for heat-treatment and metallographic sample preparation.

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