Influence of prior austenite grain size on the degree of temper embrittlement in Cr-Mo steel

Reversible temper embrittlement has been frequently observed in many different low alloy steels serving at high temperature, e.g. order of 500 degrees C. This type of embrittlement can change the brittle transgranular fracture mode to intergranular decohesion with subsequent change in fracture stress and fracture toughness. The present paper deals with the influence of the prior austenite grain size and isothermal aging time on the degree of embrittlement of 2.25Cr-1Mo steel, which is very popular for its use in power generating and other petrochemical industries. In this research work, the specimens of 2.25Cr-1Mo steel were treated in three different austenitizing temperatures along with different isothermal embrittling time periods. Then the induced degree of embrittlement was characterized by the fracture stress values at -196 degrees C and area fraction of intergranular failure. The outcome of the experimental results shows that the increase in austenite grain size and/or isothermal embrittling time severely weakens the grain boundary cohesive strength leading to brittle intergranular failures and thus to a greater degree of temper embrittlement.