Study on Laves phase in an advanced heat-resistant steel

The Laves phase is one of the most significant precipitates in ferritic/martensitic heat-resistant steels. Laves phase precipitates in the creep rupture specimens with different rupture life were studied on a 10 wt.% Cr heat-resistant steel. JMatPro thermodynamic and kinetic calculations were carried out to simulate and predict the precipitation behavior of the Laves phase in the steel at the equilibrium state. The morphologies of the Laves phase developed with creep time were characterized under both scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Effects of Co on the growth behavior of Laves phase and the corresponding fracture mode were analyzed. It was found that the Laves phase in the steel grew to 200 nm in size after only 1598 h at 600 degrees C, indicating that the addition of Co in the steel could accelerate the growth of Laves phase, and the coalescence of large Laves phase would lead to the brittle intergranular fracture.