Marcelo Martins

Aging heat treatment effect on the microstructure and impact properties of the super-austenitic stainless steel ASTM A 744 Gr. CN3MN

ASTM A 744 Gr. CN3MN superaustenitic stainless steel is employed in the manufacture of equipments designed to work in severely corrosive environments under mechanical loads. This research investigated the influence of aging heat treatments on the microstructure and impact properties of this type of material. These treatments were carried out at temperature of 900oC for different periods of time: 1.5; 12; 24; 36 and 48 hours. Impact Charpy tests were conducted at room temperature and -46°C for all heat treated samples. The microstructural analyses were carried out by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. It was concluded that as long as the steel was exposed to 900oC, the energy absorbed during impact was lower. After 1.5 hours at 900oC the impact energy dropped from 128 to 25 Joules. The samples heat treated at 900oC for 48 hours showed precipitation of some phases at the austenitic matrix: the most probable were sigma (σ), chi (χ) and M23C6 carbide.

Efeito do tratamento térmico de envelhecimento na microestrutura e nas propriedades de impacto do aço inoxidável superaustenítico ASTM A 744 Gr. CN3MN

ASTM A 744 Gr. CN3MN superaustenitic stainless steel is employed in the manufacture of equipments designed to work in severely corrosive environments under mechanical loads. This research investigated the influence of aging heat treatments on the microstructure and impact properties of this type of material. These treatments were carried out at temperature of 900oC for different periods of time: 1.5; 12; 24; 36 and 48 hours. Impact Charpy tests were conducted at room temperature and -46°C for all heat treated samples. The microstructural analyses were carried out by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. It was concluded that as long as the steel was exposed to 900oC, the energy absorbed during impact was lower. After 1.5 hours at 900oC the impact energy dropped from 128 to 25 Joules. The samples heat treated at 900oC for 48 hours showed precipitation of some phases at the austenitic matrix: the most probable were sigma (σ), chi (χ) and M23C6 carbide.

Influência da rugosidade na resistência à corrosão por pite em peças torneadas de aço inoxidável superaustenítico

Pitting corrosion resistance has been correlated to the morphological conditions of the surface: a smooth surface finishing decreases the potential for pitting. This study aimed at investigating the relationship between pitting corrosion resistance and surface roughness in the machined surfaces of superaustenitic stainless steel ASTM A744 grade CN3MN. The samples of the casting steel were cylindrically turned sunder different combinations of cutting conditions, producing different surface roughness patterns. The surfaces of the samples, as machined, were characterized by roughness and hardness. After the application of an accelerated immersion corrosion test, these surfaces were examined in a stereoscope and the weight loss by corrosion was also determined. It was revealed that the samples exhibited different corrosion resistance behaviors, according to the machining conditions applied. A correlation between pitting resistance corrosion and machined surface roughness was evident, and also, the weight loss due to the formation of pits. This study has identified that corrosion can be controlled through the selection of appropriate machining parameters.

Phase Transformations on ASTM a 744 Gr. CN3MN Superaustenitic Stainless Steel after Heat Treatment

The superaustenitic stainless steel ASTM A 744 Gr. CN3MN (22Cr-25Ni-7Mo-0.2N) has as mainly characteristic high corrosion resistance in severe environment. As the corrosion resistance depends on the microstructure, it was investigated the phase transformations after a solution treatment at 1200°C. Thermocalc calculation for 53Fe-25Ni-22Cr alloy indicates austenitic phase between 1300 and 800°C and austenite + sigma phase below 800°C. The as-cast steel studied presented 2.7 % of precipitates volume fraction and the precipitates were located on the grain boundaries and inside the austenitic grains. X-ray diffraction confirmed the presence of sigma phase in as-cast sample. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the level of Cr and Mo was higher in the precipitates than in the austenitic matrix and the Ni content was higher in matrix compared to precipitates. After heating at 1200°C during 90 minutes, the precipitate volume fraction was reduced to 2.1 % and the grain boundaries precipitates were dissolved. The microstructural analyses made through transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction showed the presence sigma phase and M6C carbide.

Efeito do tratamento térmico na estrutura e nas propriedades mecânicas de um aço inoxidável superaustenítico

The austenitic stainless steel high alloyed (22Cr-25Ni-7Mo-0,3N), well known as superaustenitic, has as its main characteristic a high corrosion resistence to several environments, mainly in sea water. Furthermore the material shows good mechanical properties and thermal stability. To obtain the mentioned characteristics, the material must be thermically treated, taking into consideration the solubility of the alloy elements. Various heat treatments were performed in this research : solution heat treatment (from 1100 to 1250°C), stress relief (from 500 to 800°C) and sensitization (900°C, varing the time at 1,5h, 12h, 24h and 48h). Hardness and charpy tests were used to study the mechanical behaviour, and optical methalography was done to investigate the heat treatment influence in the material micro structure. It was observed that even with the solution at an extreamely high heat treatment temperature (1250°C), it was not possible to dissolve the precipitates formed during solidification scattering in the austenitic matrix. To maximize the energy absortion impact, the solution heat treatment must be performed between 1150°C and 1200°C and the stress relief until 500°C. In the 900°C temperature range, the material impact resistence (measured at environment temperature) decreased from 25J to 7J when the heat treatment time was increased from 1,5h to 48 h.