Influence of non-metal inclusions on mechanical properties of CLAM steel

The effect of the size and distribution of non-metal inclusions on mechanical properties of the China low activation martensitic steel (CLAM) was investigated. The tensile and Charpy V-notch impact tests showed that electroslag remelting improved the tensile properties and reduced the ductile brittle transition temperature (DBTT). Inclusion detection of CLAM by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope showed that both the dimensions and quantities of the alumina inclusions decreased and their distributions became more uniform after remelting. The better refinement and distribution uniformity of alumina inclusions were considered as the main possible reasons for the improvement of the mechanical properties of CLAM steel after remelting. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.