Influence of Isothermal Aging on the Embrittlement of 00Cr25Ni7Mo4N Super Duplex Stainless Steel

The effect of an isothermal aging treatment on the embrittlement of 00Cr25Ni7Mo4N super duplex stainless steel was studied by combining metallographic, SEM and TEM observation. The results showed that thermal aging treatment below 500°C and above 1050°C did not have any effect on the impact toughness. The observed embrittlement behaviour was mainly attributed to the generation of intermetallic phases in the steel matrix, which included the R phase formation below 600°C, the R phase and especially the σ phase formation at 700°C, and the formation of the σ phase in the range of 800-1000°C. The impact toughness decreased to a minimum after a thermal aging for 30 minutes in the temperature range of 800°C to 900°C. A trend of decreasing impact ductility with increasing amount of precipitated σ phase was observed. The impact energy started to decrease as the amount of the σ phase reached about 10-15 volume-% and reached a minimum when the amount of the σ phase increased to about 30 volume-%.