Microstructure control to improve creep strength of alumina-forming austenitic heat-resistant steel by pre-strain
Highlights: • The effect of pre-strain on creep strength of AFA steel was studied. • The creep test was performed at 700°C and 200Mpa, and the aging test was carried out using box furnace at 700°C to simulate the microstructural evolution during creep. • Microstuctural evolution was observed by using SEM, EBSD, and TEM to investigate the relationship between creep strength and microstructure. - Abstract: At 700 °C and 200 MPa, the creep rupture time of W-containing alumina-forming austenitic heat-resistant (WAFA) steel increases from 1044 to 3119 h by pre-strain. Pre-strain introduces a lot of dislocation into the matrix and most of the dislocations remain stable to the end of creep without recovery and recrystallization. In addition, the dislocations have enabled secondary NbC and Laves phase to be uniformly distributed and refined. However, the dislocations lower grain boundary strength due to the coarsening of precipitates along grain boundaries Therefore, the increase in the creep rupture time in spite of deterioration of grain boundary strength is attributed to the dislocation strengthening and enhanced precipitation hardening within grains.