Microanalysis of two creep resistant 9–12% chromium steels

The ferritic chromium steels P122 and P92 have been investigated using APFIM and TEM. The two steels are similar in composition with the exception of an addition of copper to P122, allowing a higher chromium content. The investigated materials were tempered at 770°C and isothermally aged at 600°C for times ranging from 0 to 10 000 h. The matrix and precipitates of type M23C6, MX and Laves phase have been analysed with APFIM. Steel P122 contains 0.9% copper and it was found that the matrix concentration of copper drops during ageing from 0.4% to an equilibrium level at 0.1%, which is in good agreement with previous thermodynamical calculations. No copper was found in M23C6, MX or Laves phase. Copper instead forms a separate phase. This phase was identified by TEM. During ageing the amount of tungsten in the matrix drops due to formation of Laves phase. This process is faster in steel P122 compared with steel P92, indicating an accelerating effect of copper on the nucleation of Laves phase. In both steels, enhanced concentrations of boron were found inside M23C6 carbides. Phosphorous was found to segregate to a very narrow region at the carbide/matrix interface.