Microstructural evolution in austenitic heat-resistant cast steel 35Cr25Ni12NNbRE during long-term service

The microstructural evolution of austenitic heat-resistant cast steel 35Cr25Ni12NNbRE during aging and long-term service was investigated using optical microscope (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The microstructure of the as cast steel consists of the dendritic austenite, the block-like eutectic carbide M7C3 spreaded among austenitic dendrite, and a small quantity of M23C6 carbide. The microstructure of the steel aged at 600 °C consists of eutectic carbide M23C6 transformed from eutectic carbide M7C3 and dendritic austenite in which fine secondary carbide particles M23C6 precipitated. The precipitated carbide M23C6 kept a cubic–cubic orientation relationship (OR) with austenite matrix. There existed a carbide precipitation free zone (PFZ) around the eutectic carbide. For the long-term serviced samples, the secondary carbide precipitated in the austenite strikingly increased and the PFZ disappeared. Part of the M23C6 transformed into M6C, which always kept a twin OR, [ 1   1   4 ] M 6 C / / [ 1   1   0 ] A / / [ 1   1   0 ] M 23 C 6 , with the austenite and the M23C6 secondary carbide. In addition, a small quantity of σ phase FeCr and ɛ-Cr2N were also identified. The effects of alloy composition and service condition on the microstructural evolution of the steel were discussed.