Microstructure and tensile properties of yttrium nitride dispersion-strengthened 14Cr–3W ferritic steels

•Innovative nano yttrium nitride dispersion strengthened steels were fabricated.•Higher content of additives accelerate the steel-ceramic powder milling process more.•Steel with high content (3%) of YN dispersoids can obtain good performance at 500 °C.

14Cr–3W ferritic steel powders were mechanically milled with microscale yttrium nitride (YN) particles to fabricate particle dispersion-strengthened ferritic steels. After hot consolidation and annealing, the steel matrix was homogeneously dispersed with nano-scale YN particles. The steel containing 0.3 wt.% YN particles exhibited a yield strength of 1445 MPa at room temperature. Its total elongation was 10.3%, and the fracture surface exhibited mixed ductile and quasi-cleavage fracture morphologies. The steel with a much higher content of YN particles (3 wt.%) in its matrix was much stronger (1652 MPa) at room temperature at the cost of ductility. In particular, it exhibited a high yield strength (1350 MPa) with applicable ductility (total elongation > 10%) at 500 °C. This study has developed a new kind of reinforcement particle to fabricate high-performance ferritic steels.