Transformation Behavior of Precipitates in a W-alloyed 10 wt pct Cr Steel for Ultra-supercritical Power Plants

Thermodynamic calculation, thermal analysis, and identification and observation of precipitates have been carried out on a W-alloyed 10 wt pct Cr steel by means of ThermoCalc program, differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, respectively. Several critical phase transformation points were determined by combining experimental results with calculations. Two individually stable phases of Nb(C, N) and VN, instead of one single phase MX (X: C, N), M23C6 or Laves phases, were predicted in the calculated equilibrium phase diagram. An unstable elongated M7C3 with relatively higher Cr was detected unexpectedly in the normalized and tempered steel. Two kinds of spherical Nb(C, N) with different size were recognized as the primary and the secondary precipitates of Nb(C, N) which contain different V contents. It was observed that one kind of complex precipitate in a special V-wing shape was resulted from two plate-like VN adhering to coarse primary spherical Nb(C, N).