The master’s thesis deals with corrosion resistance of cast duplex steels. In the first part the corrosion mechanisms and their individual types are described, the second part characterizes the types of stainless steels in terms of their properties, use, structural components, and their impact on mechanical and corrosion properties of steels. Individual chapter is dedicated to duplex steels. In the experimental part the resistance of 1.4517 steel against pitting corrosion depending on the alloy contents and the PREN value was investigated. Four specimens graded according to PREN were cast. Supplemented with sample stirrer blade which was affected by corrosion during service they were subjected to corrosion test according to ASTM G48-11 standard in 6% FeCl3 solution. Cast specimens were subjected to tensile test and impact test.

This thesis deals with the study of intermetallic phases in cast duplex stainless steel ASTM A890 Grade 4A considering degradation of mechanical properties in the result of isothermal aging in the temperature of 700 °C and 595 °C. The period of aging in the temperature of 700 °C was ranging from 1 to 160 hours and in the temperature of 595 °C it was ranging from 24 to 245 hours. The study of microstructure after aging in the temperature of 700 °C has proved that the -phases, Laves phases, chromium carbides and chromium nitrides were excluded. The phase was observed after four hours of aging in the temperature of 700 °C in / interface for the first time. The transformation was performed by eutectoid mechanism according to the equation + 2. The Laves phase has been observed after 10 hours of aging in / interphase and later in the ferrite grain as well. Chromium carbides and nitrides have created a continuous contour along to the / and /2 interface. After the temperature of 595°C there have been observed a large amount of small precipitates in the structure. The precipitates have been extracted from some selected samples to carbon replica. Following analysis has confirmed the presence of chromium carbides, -phases and Laves phases. The deterioration of mechanical properties, caused by the influence of secondary phase exclusion, has been confirmed by the Vickers hardness test and impact test including fractography analysis of the fracture surface. The hardness has an increasing tendency while the impact strength has been significantly reduced.

The research project is focused on an influence of a particullar heat on properties and structure of duplex steel DIN 1.4462. Samples prepared by using different welding speeds 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 cm.min-1, were tested for tensile, metalographical analysis and hardness test. Experimental results proved the optimal welding speed for material with 2 mm thickness to be 15 cm.min-1. Usage of lower speed 10 cm.min-1 led to formation of hot cracks while higher speeds 20, 25, 30 cm.min-1 didn‘t cause material penetration.

Material selection is an important step during the design process of an object. The goal is to produce an object to meet the requirement with minimum cost. During the recent years with discovery of oil and gas in deep water, oil and gas industry facing new challenges of handling corrosive material in seabed that gives more importance and criticality to material selection of equipment for this kind of application. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), chloride and carbon dioxide (CO2) have made the big challenges for material that handle corrosive fluids in the seabed.This report presents a brief review of material selection for two parts of deepwater gate valve, Body and Gate. It is mostly focused on mechanical properties and required corrosion resistance. Ferritic alloys with low PRE numbers and low mechanical properties and also austenitic alloys with low yield strength are not a proper option for this case. Alloy 2205 is the most common stainless steel which is used in deep water gate valve production. There are other alloys in duplex group that show better mechanical and chemical properties than alloy 2205 but because of their high expense are not used by industries.

This thesis deals with stainless austenitic-ferritic (duplex) steels and their mechanical and technological properties. The first part focuses on introducing these high-alloy materials. The second part describes the influence of chemical composition on the mechanical properties, technological properties and steel structure. There was also observed the effect of heat treatment and steel melting under reduced pressure.

<p>The high temperature microstructure of the solid phases within the electric arc furnace (EAF) slag has a large effect on the process features such as foamability of the slag, chromium recovery, consumption of the ferroalloys and the wear rate of the refractory. The knowledge of the microstructural and compositional evolution of the slag phases during the EAF process stages is necessary for a good slag praxis.</p><p>In <strong>supplement 1</strong>, an investigation of the typical characteristics of EAF slags in the production of the AISI 304L stainless steel was carried out. In addition, compositional and microstructural evolution of the slag during the different EAF process stages was also investigated. Computational thermodynamics was also used as a tool to predict the equilibrium phases in the top slag as well as the amount of these phases at the process temperatures. Furthermore, the influence of different parameters (MgO wt%, Cr₂O₃ wt%, temperature and the top slag basicity) on the amount of the spinel phase in the slag was studied. In <strong>supplement 2</strong>, a novel study to characterize the electric arc furnace (EAF) slags in the production of duplex stainless steel at the process temperatures was performed. The investigation was focused on determining the microstructural and compositional evolution of the EAF slag during and at the end of the refining period.</p><p>Slag samples were collected from 14 heats of AISI 304L steel (2 slag samples per heat) and 7 heats of duplex steel (3 slags sample per heat). Simultaneously with each slag sampling, the temperature of the slag was measured. The selected slag samples were studied both using SEM-EDS and LOM. In some cases (<strong>supplement 2</strong>), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were also performed on fine-powdered samples to confirm the existence of the observed phases.</p><p>It was observed that at the process temperature and at all process stages, the stainless steel EAF slag consists mainly of liquid oxides, magnesiochromite spinel particles and metallic droplets. Under normal operation and at the final stages of the EAF, 304L steelmaking slag contains 2-6 wt% magnesiochromite spinel crystals. It was also found that, within the compositional range of the slag samples, the only critical parameter affecting the amount of solid spinel particles in the slag is the chromium oxide content. Petrographical investigation of the EAF duplex stainless steelmaking showed that, before FeSi-addition, the slag samples contain large amounts of undissolved particles and the apparent viscosity of the slag is higher, relative to the subsequent stages. In this stage, the slag also includes solid stoichiometric calcium chromite. It was also found that, after FeSi-injection into the EAF and during the refining period, the composition and the basicity of the slag in the EAF duplex steelmaking and EAF stainless steelmaking are fairly similar. This indicates that, during the refining period, the basic condition for the utilization of an EAF foaming-slag praxis, in both austenitic and duplex stainless steel cases, is the same. Depending on the slag basicity, the slag may contain perovskite and/or dicalcium silicate too. More specifically, the duplex stainless steel slag samples with a higher basicity than 1.55 found to contain perovskite crystals.</p>

The thesis deals with the design of ingots from duplex (austenitic-ferritic) stainless steels in terms of minimal occurrence of axial porosity. The optimal shape and dimension of the ingot and the casting conditions are determined based on numerical simulations. The resulting internal quality of the realized ingot is evaluated. The presence of shrinkage porosity is determined by penetrant testing. The degree of chemical heterogeneity, the extent of macrosegregation, of selected elements in given ingot locations is measured by an optical emission spectrometer. Segregation values are compared with simulation results. The micro-purity of the ingot is assessed on the basis of metallographic samples.

The high temperature microstructure of the solid phases within the electric arc furnace (EAF) slag has a large effect on the process features such as foamability of the slag, chromium recovery, consumption of the ferroalloys and the wear rate of the refractory. The knowledge of the microstructural and compositional evolution of the slag phases during the EAF process stages is necessary for a good slag praxis. In supplement 1, an investigation of the typical characteristics of EAF slags in the production of the AISI 304L stainless steel was carried out. In addition, compositional and microstructural evolution of the slag during the different EAF process stages was also investigated. Computational thermodynamics was also used as a tool to predict the equilibrium phases in the top slag as well as the amount of these phases at the process temperatures. Furthermore, the influence of different parameters (MgO wt%, Cr2O3 wt%, temperature and the top slag basicity) on the amount of the spinel phase in the slag was studied. In supplement 2, a novel study to characterize the electric arc furnace (EAF) slags in the production of duplex stainless steel at the process temperatures was performed. The investigation was focused on determining the microstructural and compositional evolution of the EAF slag during and at the end of the refining period. Slag samples were collected from 14 heats of AISI 304L steel (2 slag samples per heat) and 7 heats of duplex steel (3 slags sample per heat). Simultaneously with each slag sampling, the temperature of the slag was measured. The selected slag samples were studied both using SEM-EDS and LOM. In some cases (supplement 2), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were also performed on fine-powdered samples to confirm the existence of the observed phases. It was observed that at the process temperature and at all process stages, the stainless steel EAF slag consists mainly of liquid oxides, magnesiochromite spinel particles and metallic droplets. Under normal operation and at the final stages of the EAF, 304L steelmaking slag contains 2-6 wt% magnesiochromite spinel crystals. It was also found that, within the compositional range of the slag samples, the only critical parameter affecting the amount of solid spinel particles in the slag is the chromium oxide content. Petrographical investigation of the EAF duplex stainless steelmaking showed that, before FeSi-addition, the slag samples contain large amounts of undissolved particles and the apparent viscosity of the slag is higher, relative to the subsequent stages. In this stage, the slag also includes solid stoichiometric calcium chromite. It was also found that, after FeSi-injection into the EAF and during the refining period, the composition and the basicity of the slag in the EAF duplex steelmaking and EAF stainless steelmaking are fairly similar. This indicates that, during the refining period, the basic condition for the utilization of an EAF foaming-slag praxis, in both austenitic and duplex stainless steel cases, is the same. Depending on the slag basicity, the slag may contain perovskite and/or dicalcium silicate too. More specifically, the duplex stainless steel slag samples with a higher basicity than 1.55 found to contain perovskite crystals. / QC 20110413

The thesis is focused on high-alloy austenitic and austenitic-ferritic (duplex) steel. The theoretical part includes research about high-alloy steels and basic introduction to this issue. In the practical part of the test there were casted refractory austenitic steel 30CH3N17G2L, duplex stainless steel 1.4462, low carbon steel and high carbon steel. On the castings of austenitic steel were made mechanical and technological tests. There were evaluated the effects of different casting temperature and casting wall thickness to the microstructures and macrostructures of steel, tensile strength and charpy impact tests. The technological tests compared technological properties of these steels.

Les aciers inoxydables lean duplex sont une famille d'aciers austéno-ferritiques allégés en nickel et en molybdène, qui s'est développée à la fin des années 1990. Le compromis propriétés mécaniques, propriétés de résistance à la corrosion et coût de matière première place cette famille comme une alternative intéressante aux aciers austénitiques standards, et en particulier aux 304/304L qui représentent actuellement les deux tiers de la production d'acier inoxydable. Cependant, cette famille étant relativement récente, la stabilité en température des aciers lean duplex a été relativement peu étudiée, en particulier lors de maintiens prolongés en température. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, l'évolution microstructurale d'un acier lean duplex 2101 a été étudiée, lors de vieillissements isothermes à des températures comprises entre 20 °C et 850 °C, pour des temps s'échelonnant de quelques minutes à plusieurs mois. Les cinétiques de vieillissement ont été suivies par mesures de pouvoir thermoéléctrique (PTE), à partir desquelles des états vieillis ont été sélectionnés pour être caractérisés par microscopie électronique et par sonde atomique tomographique. A des températures intermédiaires de 350 – 450 °C, la ferrite de l'acier lean duplex 2101 est sujette à la démixtion Fe-Cr et à la formation d'amas enrichis en Ni-Mn-Si-Al-Cu, malgré les faibles teneurs en nickel de cette nuance. Ces phénomènes sont détectés par une forte augmentation du PTE. Pour des températures plus élevées, à 700 °C environ, une approche multi-techniques et multi-échelles a permis de décrire précisément les mécanismes qui régissent les différentes évolutions microstructurales : la germination et la croissance de M23C6 et de Cr2N, observés dès quelques minutes de vieillissement aux joints de phases, la précipitation de la phase σ pour des temps de vieillissement plus importants qui s'accompagne d'une transformation de la ferrite δ en austénite secondaire γ2, et la transformation partielle de l'austénite en martensite lors du refroidissement des échantillons vieillis. L'effet des différentes phases sur le PTE de l'acier lean duplex peut être décrit qualitativement lors du vieillissement par une loi des mélanges. / Lean duplex stainless steels are austeno-ferritic steels with lower nickel and molybdenum contents, developed in the late 90's. Considering mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and cost of raw material, this family is an interesting alternative to standard austenitic stainless steels, which currently represent two thirds of stainless steel production. However, lean duplex steels are relatively recent and their thermal stability has been relatively little studied, especially during long term aging. In this study, the microstructural evolution of a lean duplex steel 2101 was studied during isothermal aging at temperatures between 20 °C and 850 °C, from few minutes to several months. Aging kinetics were followed by thermoelectric power measurements (TEP), from which aged states were selected to be characterized by electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. At intermediate temperatures of 350 - 450 °C, Fe-Cr demixing and precipitation of Ni-Mn-Al-Si-Cu occur in the ferrite despite the low nickel content of this grade, leading to an increase in the TEP. For higher temperatures, at about 700 °C, the mechanisms which govern the different microstructural evolutions have been described by a multi-scale approach: the nucleation and growth of M23C6 and Cr2N, observed from few minutes of aging and the σ phase precipitation, observed for longer aging time. The latter is accompanied by a transformation of δ ferrite in γ2 secondary austenite, and by the partial transformation of austenite into martensite during cooling. The effect of different phases on the TEP of the lean duplex steel can be qualitatively described during aging by a rule of mixture.