Paderborn, Universiẗat, Diss., 2000.

University, Diss., 2002--Mainz.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2002--Bonn.

University, Diss., 2000--Paderborn.

Redesigning heavy components with thinner components is one way to lower automotive weight and improve fuel efficiency. Therefore, replacing thick cast iron exhaust manifolds with thinner heat resistant stainless steel one is a prime example of this approach. Material for a thin exhaust manifold must tolerate cyclic thermal fatigue. In SUS 444, this characteristic is directly related to the influence of microstructure on high temperature strength and the stability of the microstructure at the high operating temperature range. The goal of this research is to identify the cause for the drastic difference in the stress-strain behavior between two potential manufacturer heat treatments that will serve as a simplified model case for high temperature cyclic fatigue.  Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) based microstructure analyses of samples which have been aged at 750"C for 100 hours and then hot-tensile tested at 750"C with a strain rate of   suggest continuous recrystallization as the mechanism responsible for the stable high temperature strength. The initial high temperature strength observed in the unaged sample was due to the precipitation of fine Laves phases which pinned down the motion of dislocations. As deformation progressed the strength increased until a critical precipitate size, volume fraction and dislocation density before Laves phases begun to rapidly coarsen and resulted in the abrupt decrease in strength. Microstructure evidence suggests the absence of precipitation strengthening effect in the aged samples could be a contributing factor to the decrease in peak strength between the aged samples and the unaged samples. / Master of Science

No description available.

Estudos anteriores de precipitação, em outros aços superferríticos, constataram a ocorrência de precipitação das fases sigma, qui, de Laves e até de austenita, que no posterior resfriamento pode se transformar em martensita. O objetivo principal do presente trabalho foi estudar a precipitação de fases de Laves no aço inoxidável superferrítico X 1 CrNiMoNb 28 4 2 (Werkstoff-Nr. 1.4575). Para isto foram utilizadas algumas técnicas complementares de análise microestrutural, tais como microscopia óptica, eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e eletrônica de transmissão (MET). A composição química das fases foi estudada por análise de raios X por dispersão de energia tanto no MEV como no MET. A estrutura cristalina das fases foi estudada por difração de elétrons em área selecionada no MET. A fase que se precipita em maior quantidade no aço 1.4575 é a fase sigma. No entanto, também foram identificadas de maneira inequívoca, nos contornos de grãos, após envelhecimento a 850 ºC, pequenas quantidades de fase de Laves do tipo MgZn2, com estrutura hexagonal compacta e composição química (Fe,Cr,Ni)2(Nb,Mo,Si). O crescimento da fase de Laves é inibido pelo envolvimento da fase sigma, que também precipita nos contornos de grãos, mas em maior quantidade. Não foram detectadas as presenças das fases qui e austenita na temperatura estudada. / Previous precipitation studies in other superferritic stainless steels observed the occurrence of precipitations of sigma, chi and Laves phases and even of austenite, which on subsequent cooling may transform into martensite. The main objective of the present work was to study the Laves phase precipitation in a X 1 CrNiMoNb 28 4 2 (Werkstoff- Nr. 1.4575) superferritic stainless steel. Therefore, several complementary techniques have been employed such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The chemical composition of the phases has been studied using X-ray energy dispersive analysis both in SEM and TEM. Crystal structure of the phases has been analyzed using selected area electron diffraction in the TEM. The phase that precipitates in larger quantity in the 1.4575 steel is the sigma phase. However, it has been identified, in an unequivocal manner, on grain boundaries, after aging at 850 ºC, small quantities of Laves phase of the MgZn2 type, with a compact hexagonal structure and a chemical composition of (Fe,Cr,Ni)2(Nb,Mo,Si). Growth of the Laves phases is inhibited through the involvement of the sigma phase, which precipitates in higher quantities on grain boundaries. No chi and austenite phases have been detected in the studied temperature.

Stuttgart, Univ., Habil.-Schr., 2005.

Estudos anteriores de precipitação, em outros aços superferríticos, constataram a ocorrência de precipitação das fases sigma, qui, de Laves e até de austenita, que no posterior resfriamento pode se transformar em martensita. O objetivo principal do presente trabalho foi estudar a precipitação de fases de Laves no aço inoxidável superferrítico X 1 CrNiMoNb 28 4 2 (Werkstoff-Nr. 1.4575). Para isto foram utilizadas algumas técnicas complementares de análise microestrutural, tais como microscopia óptica, eletrônica de varredura (MEV) e eletrônica de transmissão (MET). A composição química das fases foi estudada por análise de raios X por dispersão de energia tanto no MEV como no MET. A estrutura cristalina das fases foi estudada por difração de elétrons em área selecionada no MET. A fase que se precipita em maior quantidade no aço 1.4575 é a fase sigma. No entanto, também foram identificadas de maneira inequívoca, nos contornos de grãos, após envelhecimento a 850 ºC, pequenas quantidades de fase de Laves do tipo MgZn2, com estrutura hexagonal compacta e composição química (Fe,Cr,Ni)2(Nb,Mo,Si). O crescimento da fase de Laves é inibido pelo envolvimento da fase sigma, que também precipita nos contornos de grãos, mas em maior quantidade. Não foram detectadas as presenças das fases qui e austenita na temperatura estudada. / Previous precipitation studies in other superferritic stainless steels observed the occurrence of precipitations of sigma, chi and Laves phases and even of austenite, which on subsequent cooling may transform into martensite. The main objective of the present work was to study the Laves phase precipitation in a X 1 CrNiMoNb 28 4 2 (Werkstoff- Nr. 1.4575) superferritic stainless steel. Therefore, several complementary techniques have been employed such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The chemical composition of the phases has been studied using X-ray energy dispersive analysis both in SEM and TEM. Crystal structure of the phases has been analyzed using selected area electron diffraction in the TEM. The phase that precipitates in larger quantity in the 1.4575 steel is the sigma phase. However, it has been identified, in an unequivocal manner, on grain boundaries, after aging at 850 ºC, small quantities of Laves phase of the MgZn2 type, with a compact hexagonal structure and a chemical composition of (Fe,Cr,Ni)2(Nb,Mo,Si). Growth of the Laves phases is inhibited through the involvement of the sigma phase, which precipitates in higher quantities on grain boundaries. No chi and austenite phases have been detected in the studied temperature.

The effect of Laves phase (Fe2Nb) formation on the Charpy impact toughness of the ferritic stainless steel type AISI 441 was investigated. The steel exhibits good toughness after solution treatment at 850°C, but above and below this treatment temperature the impact toughness decreases sharply. With heat treatment below 850°C the presence of the Laves phase on grain boundaries and dislocations plays a significant role in embrittlement of the steel whereas above that temperature, an increase in the grain size from grain growth plays a major role in the impact embrittlement of this alloy. The toughness results agree with the phase equilibrium calculations made using Thermo–Calc® whereby it was observed that a decrease in the Laves phase volume fraction with increasing temperature corresponds to an increase in the impact toughness of the steel. Annealing above 900°C where no Laves phase exists, grain growth is found which similarly has a very negative influence on the steel’s impact properties. Where both a large grain size as well as Laves phase is present, it appears that the grain size may be the dominant embrittlement mechanism. Both the Laves phase and grain growth, therefore, have a significant influence on the impact properties of the steel, while the Laves phase’s precipitation behaviour has also been investigated with reference to the plant’s manufacturing process, particularly the cooling rate after a solution treatment. The microstructural analysis of the grain size shows that there is a steady increase in grain size up to about 950°C, but between 950°C and 1000°C there is a sudden and rapid 60 % increase in the grain size. The TEM analysis of the sample that was annealed at 900°C shows that the Laves phase had already completely dissolved and cannot, therefore, be responsible for “unpinning of grain boundaries” at temperatures of 900°C and higher where this “sudden” increase in grain size was found. The most plausible explanation appears to be one of Nb solute drag that loses its effectiveness within this temperature range, but this probably requires some further study to fully prove this effect. During isothermal annealing within the temperature range of 600 to 850°C, the time – temperature – precipitation (TTP) diagram for the Laves phase as determined from the transformation kinetic curves, shows two classical C noses on the transformation curves. The first one occurring at the higher temperatures of about 750 to 825°C and the second one at much lower temperatures, estimated to possibly be in the range of about 650 to 675°C. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses show that there are two independent nucleation mechanisms that are occurring within these two temperature ranges. At lower temperatures of about 600°C, the pertaining nucleation mechanism is on dislocations and as the temperature is increased to above 750°C, grain boundary nucleation becomes more dominant. Also, the morphology of the particles and the mis-orientation with the matrix changes with temperature. At lower temperatures the particles are more needle-like in shape, but as the temperature is increased the shape becomes more spheroidal. The effect of the steel’s composition on the Laves phase transformation kinetics shows that by lowering the Nb content in these type 441 stainless steels, had no significance effect on the kinetics on precipitation of the Laves phase. However, a Mo addition and a larger grain size of the steel, retard the formation of the Laves phase, although the optimum values of both parameters still need further quantification. The calculation made for the transformation kinetics of the Laves phase, using the number density of nucleation sites No and the interfacial energy, as the fitting parameters in this work, demonstrated a reasonable agreement with experimental results. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering / unrestricted