Role of microstructural degradation in the heat affected zone of 2.25Cr-1Mo steel weldments on subscale features during steam oxidation and their role in weld failures

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1998 · Metallurgical and Materials Transactions. A, Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-998-0139-5· OSTI ID:611589

Raman, R K.S. ^[1]

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1. Royal Melbourne Inst. of Tech. (Australia). Dept. of Communication and Electronic Engineering

Microstructural degradations in the base metal adjacent to the weld pool, i.e., the heat-affected zone (HAZ), caused during welding of 2.25Cr-1Mo steel, were characterized by electron and optical microscopy of different regions of the weldments. In order to study the influence of the microstructural degradations on scaling kinetics in steam and the resulting subscale features, samples of the base metal, the HAZ, and weld metal specimens were extracted from the weldment and oxidized in an environment of 35 pct steam + nitrogen at 873 K for 10 hours. Oxide scales formed in the three regions and the underlying subscales were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Influence of the free chromium content in the three weldment regions on protective scale formation and on the subscale features has been investigated. As the principal achievement, this study has clearly shown the occurrence of oxidation-induced void formation in the subscale zone and grain boundary cavitation in the neighboring area during steam oxidation of the HAZ. This article also discusses the possible role of oxidation-induced void formation and grain boundary cavitation in the inferior service life of welds in 2.25Cr-1Mo steel components.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 611589
• Journal Information: Metallurgical and Materials Transactions. A, Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science, Journal Name: Metallurgical and Materials Transactions. A, Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 29; ISSN 1073-5623; ISSN MMTAEB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CORROSION RESISTANCE
HEAT AFFECTED ZONE
MICROSTRUCTURE
OXIDATION
STEEL-CR2MO
WELDED JOINTS