Microstructural characterizations of 14Cr ODS ferritic steels subjected to hot torsion

Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels are very promising materials for nuclear applications. In this paper, the hot working behavior of ODS ferritic steels, consolidated by hot extrusion, is studied through torsion tests. Three ODS steels are produced acting on both the quantity of Ti and Y2O3 added to the matrix (wt% Fe-14Cr-1W), and the density and size of the nanoparticles. A temperature range of 1000-1200 °C and strain rates from 5 ⋅ 10−2 to 5 s−1 are considered. The microstructures of deformed samples are examined by Electron Back-Scatter Diffraction and X-ray diffraction techniques. It is observed that hot plastic strain leads to an early damage with nucleation and growth of cavities along grain boundaries. Except for the damage, very few microstructural and textural evolutions are noticed. The three tested ODS steels exhibit almost the same behavior under hot torsion straining, regardless of the precipitation state. Overall, the experimental results are interpreted through a mechanism of strain accommodation at grain boundaries, with low dislocation activity in the bulk of the grains.