Effect of solute grain boundary segregation and hardness on the ductile-to-brittle transition for a Cr–Mo low-alloy steel

Combined solute grain boundary segregation and hardness effect on the ductile-to-brittle transition is examined for a P-doped 2.25Cr–1Mo steel by means of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) in conjunction with hardness measurements, Charpy impact tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). During ageing at 540 °C after water quenching from 980 °C, the segregation of phosphorus, molybdenum and chromium increases and the hardness decreases with increasing ageing time. The ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) increases with increasing phosphorus segregation and decreases with decreasing hardness. The phosphorus segregation effect is dominant until 100 h ageing and after that the hardness effect becomes dominant, making the DBTT decrease with further increasing ageing time although the segregation of phosphorus still increases strongly. The segregation of molybdenum has some effect on the DBTT decrease.