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Tempered martensite embrittlement in a high purity steel

  • Mechanical Behavior
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Abstract

This paper reports a study of tempered martensite embrittlement in a low alloy steel. Even though this material would ordinarily be considered high purity (0.004 wt pct S and 0.004 wt pct P) the 40 wppm S are sufficient to cause the embrittlement. The results show that this embrittlement will only occur if sulfur is present on the grain boundaries in its elemental form. It it is precipitated along the grain boundaries as chromium sulfides, no embrittlement trough is observed. However, the fracture energy of all samples is reduced. This is because microvoid coalescence occurs at these grain boundary precipitates in the same manner as is observed in overheated steels.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. General Electric Research and Development Center, 12301, Schenectady, NY

    C. L. Briant (Staff Metallurgist)

  2. Foot Mineral Company, 19341, Exton, PA

    S. K. Banerji (Senior Research Metallurgist)

Authors
  1. C. L. Briant
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  2. S. K. Banerji
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Briant, C.L., Banerji, S.K. Tempered martensite embrittlement in a high purity steel. Metall Trans A 10, 1151–1155 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02811660

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02811660

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