Creep strength and microstructure of F82H steels near tempering temperature

Creep rupture tests near the tempering temperature were performed, and the creep behavior at high temperatures and the structures of fracture specimens were investigated. Three kinds of F82H test specimens were used: IEA-heat, mod.3, and BA07. The time-to-rupture of the BA07 specimens was the longest under all the test conditions. This was because the minimum creep rates of BA07 were smallest, and a large quantity of fine precipitates of MX from the ESR treatment were considered to be effective in providing creep resistance. Although mod.3 specimens showed a high creep resistance under high stress, the time-to-rupture of mod.3 and IEA-heat were almost the same at low stress. This was because the fine tempered martensitic structure was weakened by being subjected to a high temperature for a long period. Therefore, it is considered that a large quantity of fine MX precipitates are effective for creep resistance near the tempering temperature.