Precipitation of various oxides in ODS ferritic steels

The reactive elements (Ti, Al and Zr) have been widely used for the improvement of the strength or the oxide resistance of ODS steels. In the present work, we studied the effect of the reactive elements on the precipitation of oxide particles, especially focusing upon the appropriate amount of the oxide composing elements, by addition of the large amounts of Y2O3 and reactive elements. The mechanically alloyed powders are annealed in a wide temperature range from 773 to 1423K and then analysed by various analysis methods (small-angle X-ray scattering and X-ray diffraction by synchrotron radiation X-ray, scanning transmission electron microscope combined with energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission microscopy and 3D-atom probe). Ti, Al and Zr enhanced the growth of oxide particles, opposite to the many studies of Ti- and Zr-added ODS steels, as a result of the addition of Y2O3 and these elements ten times larger than those for usual use. The nucleation and growth of oxide particles are discussed by simulating the critical radius of nucleation and the growth based on the LSW theory. Y4Zr3O12 is stable and easy to precipitate even at lower annealing temperature. All reactive elements enhance the growth of oxide particles because of their big molar volume as compared to that of Y2O3.