Difference in Reheat Cracking Susceptibility of 2.25Cr-W and 9Cr-W Heat-resistant Steels

Abstract

This research has been performed to evaluate the reheat cracking susceptibility of 9Cr T/P92 heat resistant steels and find the difference in susceptibility between 2.25Cr T/P23 and 9Cr T/P92 heat-resistant steels. After the welding simulation at 1 200 degrees C and 1 300 degrees C, the prior austenite grain size is much smaller in the T/P92 steel than the T/P23 steel. This is attributed to the undissolved Nb-rich carbo-nitrides in the T/P92 during the welding simulation which inhibit the growth of prior austenite grains. After tensile test at 750 degrees C for the evaluation of cracking susceptibility, the fracture mode is typically intergranular in the T/P23 steel, while that of the T/P92 is ductile. Therefore, the insensitivity to intergranular cracking of the T/P92 steel is mainly attributed to the much lower phosphorus segregation concentration at grain boundaries which is caused by the smaller prior austenite grain size. Calculation results finally confirm that the grain boundary segregation concentration of phosphorus decreases with decreasing grain size.