Thermomechanically Induced Precipitation in High-Performance Ferritic (HiperFer) Stainless Steels

Abstract

Novel high-performance fully ferritic (HiperFer) stainless steels were developed to meet the demands of next-generation thermal power-conversion equipment and to feature a uniquely balanced combination of resistance to fatigue, creep, and corrosion. Typical conventional multistep processing and heat treatment were applied to achieve optimized mechanical properties for this alloy. This paper outlines the feasibility of thermomechanical processing for goal-oriented alteration of the mechanical properties of this new type of steel, applying an economically more efficient approach. The impact of treatment parameter variation on alloy microstructure and the resulting mechanical properties were investigated in detail. Furthermore, initial optimization steps were undertaken.