Effect of Different Precipitation Routes of Fe2Hf Laves Phase on the Creep Rate of 9Cr-Based Ferritic Alloys

Abstract

We performed creep tests for three types of Fe-9Cr-Hf alloys with a ferritic matrix w/o Fe2Hf Laves phase particles formed by two precipitation routes: (1) with fine Fe2Hf particles formed by the conventional precipitation route (hereafter the particles are called CP particles), namely formed in the α-ferrite matrix after γ-austenite → α-ferrite phase transformation; (2) with fine Fe2Hf particles formed by interphase precipitation (hereafter called IP particles) during δ-ferrite → γ-austenite phase transformation before γ → α phase transformation and (3) without Laves phase particles. CP particles were found to be effective in reducing the creep rates from the transient creep regime to the early stage of a slowly accelerating creep regime but were coarsened after the creep tests. IP particles were less effective in reducing the creep rate in the early creep stages but showed a higher stability against particle coarsening than CP particles in the creep tests, suggesting their effectiveness in delaying the recovery and recrystallization processes in the matrix and thereby retarding the onset of a rapid creep acceleration and creep rupture. The effects of the different precipitation routes are discussed based on the results obtained.