Improvement of Impact Toughness and Creep Properties in Reduced Activation Ferritic Steels by Consumable Electrode Remelting

The effect of smelting processes on mechanical properties and microstructure of reduced activation ferritic steels was studied. Creep properties and impact toughness of reduced activation ferritic steels were obviously improved by vacuum induction melting followed by consumable electrode remelting process in comparison with the conventional vacuum induction melting process. The difference of impact toughness and creep properties between both steels mainly depended on the aspect ratio and mean size of precipitates. Decreasing the aspect ratio of carbides makes development of a shear band more difficult, which could increase impact energy and creep resistance.