Effects of inclusions on the precipitation of chi phases and intergranular corrosion resistance of hyper duplex stainless steel

During the initial stage of aging heat treatment at 850 °C, inclusions such as (Cr, Mn, Al) oxides and (Cr, Mn, Al, Fe) oxides of a hyper duplex stainless steel act as preferential precipitation sites for the chi phase like ferrite/austenite phase boundaries and ferrite/ferrite grain boundaries. The chi phase is precipitated around the inclusions due to the blocking and piling up the alloying elements such as Mo and W around the inclusions. The precipitation of Mo and W enriched chi phase around the inclusions decreases the intergranular corrosion resistance due to the formation of Mo and W depleted zones.