Effect of TaC Particles Dissolution on Grain Coarsening in Reduced Activation Steels

The effect of TaC on grains and packets coarsening in the reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steels was investigated. It was found that the combined effect of the austenitizing temperature and heating rate resulted in the heterogeneous austenite grain growth. When the austenitizing temperature was raised above 1423 K, the TaC particles disappeared, and the homogenous grains abruptly increased. The thermodynamic model for dissolution of TaC particles during austenitizing was applied to interpret the results.