Effects of aluminum on high-temperature strength of 9Cr-ODS steel

This paper discusses the effects of small amount of Al contamination (<0.1 wt%) on high-temperature strength and microstructure of the 9Cr-ODS steel. Increasing Al concentration degraded the ultimate tensile strength as well as the 0.2% proof stress at 973 K and 1073 K accompanied by decreasing fraction of the elongated grain, i.e., residual-alpha ferrite acting as reinforcement phase. The decrease of residual-Of ferrite proportion provided by increasing Al is contrary to general behavior of conventional steels. Computer simulation on ferrite to austenite phase transformation suggested that the fine oxide dispersion in the elongated ferrite could be attributable to the preferential partitioning of Ti and W in ferrite than in austenite at hot-extrusion process. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.