Scripta METALLURGICA Vol. 8, pp. 1225-1230, 1974 Pergamon Press,Inc.

Printed in the U n i t e d States

TEMPER DfBRITTL~4ENT AND CREEP ~ B R I T T L m q E N T O F 1.25 Cr-0.5 Mo

STEELS CONTAINING Sb, Sn, P and B AS IMPURITIES

R. Vlswanathan
Westinghouse Research Laboratories
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15235

(Received July 31, 1974)

Introduction

It is now well accepted that impurity elements such as Sb, Sn and P can segregate
to prior austenlte boundaries during exposure in the range 600-1000"F and cause an increase
in the Fracture Appearance Transition Temperature (FATE) of low alloy steals (1). More
recently it has been shown that the impurity elements also lead to reduced ductilities in
stress rupture tests at elevated temperatures (900-1100°Fi (2). While the presence of the above
impurity elements is generally inadvertent, small additions of B are often made dellberately
with a view to increase the hardenabillty of low alloy steels. The effect of adding B on
rupture ductility has not been investigated. Results pertaining to its effect on the ~mpact
toughness of steels are meager and conflicting (3,4). In the present study, the combined
effects of Sb, P and Sn as well as B on the FATT and rupture ductility at IO00°F of normalized
and tempered 1.25 Cr-0.5 Mo steels were investigated.

Experimental

Chemical c o m p o s i t i o n s o f f o u r s t e e l s p r o d u c e d by vacuum i n d u c t i o n m e l t i n g a r e l i s t e d
in Table I. VM 1706 r e p r e s e n t s the high purity laboratory heat. VM 1715 r e p r e s e n t s t h e impure

TABLE I
Chemical Cemposltlons of 1.25 Cr-0.5 Mo Steels
Stem c ~_ c__~r Mo SAi S_ _S O_ ~ P_ Sb S_~n _B
VH 1706 0.15 0.58 1.25 0.49 0.45 30 5 25 20 20 4 20
VM 1715 0.17 0.55 1.25 0.50 0.45 22 6 50 NA 270 94 350
VH 1707 0.16 0.58 1.22 0.49 0.45 32 20 23 20 20 5 320 45
VM 1716 0.16 0.56 1.25 0.49 0.45 26 7 33 NA 300 97 325 40

Levels of S, N, O, AI, P, Sb, Sn and B are expressed in ppm. All others in wt %. NA denotes
'not analyzed v.

1225
 1226 TEMPER AND CREEP EMBRITTLEMENT Vol, 8 , No, 11

heat, containing large, deliberate additldns of Sb, Sn and P. VM 1707 and VM 1716 contain B
in addition to one or more of the above impurities. All the heata were Rade aa 2 In. x 2 in.
ingots and forged to 0.625 in. bar stock at 2000°F. Specimen blanks were then normalized at
1700°P for 1 hr, tempered at 1250°F for 1 hr and water quenched. This heat treatment resulted
in the tensile properties listed in Table II for the various steels. Charpy impact and stress

TABLE II
Hardness and Tensile Properties at Room Temperature
Hardness UTS 0.2X YS Elongation Reduction
Steel RB ksi ksi Z in Area Z

VM 1706 94.5 92.3 74.4 26.9 73.9

VM 1715 94.6 92.7 71.8 25.3 69.8
VM 1707 94.0 92.3 74.4 25.7 70.9
VM 1716 92.5 94.0 85.8 26.3 69.2

rupture data were then obtained using specimens of the type shown in Fig. I.

The microstructure of all the laboratory

steels consisted of upper bainite, see Fig. 2. In
all cases two grain boundary networks could be dis-
L V 0'°"
tinguished: a prior austenlte grain boundary network
•

and a f~ner network of ferrite boundaries inside

4.625 -, the austenlte grains. Figure 2a shows both types of
(a}
boundarles~ while an enlarged view of ferrite
boundary network is shown in Fig. 2b. The ferrite
,~,~/. 010R --~0. IW
boundary network consisted of clusters of carbides
I. 2.1~5~ t--o.~ that separated regions of ferrite relatively free
of carbides (except for small amounts of a fine
FIG. 1 needlelike precipitate). Prior austenlte boundaries
Schematic drawing of test specimens; were also delineated by continuous networks of car-
a) stress rupture specimen; b) sub-
bides. Average ferrite grain size and austenite
size Charpy specimen.
grain size were estimated to be about 5 and 45 microns
respectively for all the laboratory steels. No appreciable differences in structure could be
discerned between steels.

Results

Creep Embrit tlement

Stress rupture tests were conducted at 1000°F with stresses in the range of
30-50 ksi.

* Initial nominal stress. The tests were carried out under constant load.
 Vol. 8, No. ii TEMPER AND CREEP EMBRITTLEMENT 1227

Photomicrograph of Figure 3 illustrates observed varia-

overall structure.
tion of Z RA* as a function of log tr and log
~. The plot for each steel is characterized
e) l~g. 225X
by an initial region of constant ductility, at
short times, followed by a region of decreasing
ductillty with further increase in t (or de-
E
crease in ~). Data for both 1706 (control
heat) and 1715 (Sb + Sn + P) are described by
the same plot, indicating that even a large
Extraction replica.
F e r r i t e g r a i n s and increase in the concentration of impurities
stain boundary
did not have any discernible influence on duc-
carbide networks.
tility. Lowest values of ductility are
encountered for VM 1707 (Sn + B). Due to
b) Fag. 1000X
scatter in results, the exact shape of the plot
for 1716 (Sn + P + Sb + B) can not be defined;
Extraction replica.
Triple point between nevertheless, rupture ductilities for this
two f e r r i t e g r a i n s and
steel appear to be intermediate between those
an island of cluster
"carbides. for 1706 and for 1707. The lower ductillties
of VM 1707 and 1716 compared to VM 1706 and
c) Meg. 3000x
1715 can be interpreted as either being due to
B alone or due to the combined presence of
FIG. 2
Sn + B in the steels.
Details of mlcrostructure in VMI706.

Temper Embrlttlement

Fracture Appearance Transition T~,peranEes (FATT) were determined for each steel
before and after an embrlttllng treatment. The embrlttllng treatment consisted of a stepwlse
coollng of 950°F/4 hr, 915°F/3 days, 860"F/4 days, 750°F/7 days, followed by furnace coollng
to room temperature. For each FATT determination at least 12 Charpy specimens were utilized.
The error in FATT determination was estimated to be ±5°F.

T-hle IIl contains results of the Charpy impact tests. In the nonembrlttled condition,
FATT is somewhat hlgher for VM 1707 and appreciably higher for VM 1715 and 1716 compared to the
control composition. Presumably some embrlttlm,,ent had already occurred in VM 1707, 1715 and
1716, even in the nonembrlttlad condition, during cooling from auetenlte. In view of this, the
FATT in the embrlttled condition may provide a better index of the total amount of embrlttlement,
than AFATT. Values of FATT in the embrlttled state are appreciably higher for VM 1715 and
VM 1716. The upper shelf energies are also much lower for VM 1715 and 1716. These results
indicate that from a temper embrlttlement point of view the impurities P, Sb and Sn are more

* Z RA, t r and ~ d e n o t e p ~ c e n t a g e r e d u c t i o n o f a r e a a t r u p t u r e , t i m e t o r u p t u r e and

minimum c r e e p r a t e , r e s p e c t i v e l y .
1228 TEMPER AND CREEP EMBRITTLEMENT Vol. 8, No. Ii

: ::',,'," 557592-B
I f f

90

8O

70

o VMIT06
50 • VM1715
6 VM1707
• VM1716
t0

311 I I
I0 100 tr. hours 1000
I i I I

8O

46

2O I I I I
10 1 10 - 1 10 - 2 10 - 3

FIG. 3
Variation of Z IRA at rupture with (e) log tr and (b) log e for 1.25 Cr-0.5 Mo steel.

TABLE III
Results of Impact Tests on 1.25 Cr-0.5 Mo Steels.

Nonembrlttled Embrittled
Upper Shelf Upper Shelf
Steel FATT ~ °F Energy, ft-lb FATT~ "F Energy, ft-lb AFATTp °F
VM 1706(Control) i0 78 -+ 2 10 75 -+ 5 0
VM 1707(Sn+B) 20 66 -+ 6 15 67 -+ 2 0
VM 1715(Sb+Sn+P) 50 67 -+ 5 90 54 -+ 2 40
VM 1716(Sb+Sn+P+B) 50 66 + 5 85 58 -+ 2 35
Vol. 8, No. 11 TEMFERANDCREEPHQ~ITTI/BaI~ 1229

pot~m~ ~ i t t l o r 8 ~ B. c o n L ~ r y to t h e ~ t u a t i o n oboez~ed i n crsep ~ t £ ~ .

8 t u ~ . U a~e ~ ¢o ~ * £ y i f tim n e c b m u m of sraXa ~ ~ t t ~ ~ by m
~s d ~ f ~ t from t h a t 4ue to P, Sb end Sn.

The e f f e c t s of Sb, P, Sn aed B on the r u p t u r e d u c ~ l £ t y - a t 1000"F and t h e s u s e ~ t -

£ b f l t t y to t ~ ~rittlemeut of n o t u a l t z e d Bud tempered 1.25 Ct-O.$ No m ~ s uwte ~ t i -
Kated. i n s t r e s s r u p t u r e s t u d i e s a t 1000"F, presence o f B caused an apgrec~able r ~ u c t ~ o n o f
t he r u p t u r e d u c t i l i t y , w h i l e l a r s e i n c r e ~ s t s JJa c o n c ~ r a t i o n o£ fib, P and h had no d i s c e r n i b l e
~foet on r u p t u r e d u c t i l i t y , r e l a t i v e to the c o n t r o l h e a t . In t ~ e r embrittlemsnt studies,
on t h e other hand, l a r s e r chauKe8 i n touKImess £ o 1 1 ~ an emb~ttr.ll~K t ~ l : m m a t were ~ r v e d
due to Sb, P and Sn than due to B. Furthez- s t u d i e s a r e needed to clar4.Yy i f t h e mechmniem of
Kratn boundary e m b r i t t l e s e n t produced by B t8 d i f f e r e n t from t h a t due to P, Sb and Sn.

a~fereuces

l. C. J . McNshon, 3 r . • Temper l a b r i t t l a a e n t in Steels• ASTHSTP 407, 127 ( I ~ ( ~ ) .

2. B. E . ~ u , H. R. T i p l e r and G. D. Branch, 3 I S I , 209, 745 (1971).

3. a. e. C L . ~ , a . L. Cryde~n~ and M. S ~ h y ~ , Stuel S t r ~ - ~ _ ~ ,

ci~ u~a~emt ~ (1~9).
4. E. 3. I r v t u e and P. B. PtckerinS, 3 I S l • 201, 518 (1963).