Effect of carbide precipitates on high temperature creep of a 20Cr-25Ni austenitic stainless steel

The high temperature creep of an austenitic stainless steel having carbide precipitates, is different from that of the carbide precipitate-free one. Strain rates of the steady state creep d(epsilonsub(s))/dt, or minimum strain rates of the creep in precipitate hardened and dispersion strengthened alloys at the creep temperature T, can be expressed by Sherby-Dorn's equation d(epsilonsub(s))/dt = Aσsup(n) exp (-Qsub(c)/RT). The stress exponent n, and the activation energy for creep Qsub(c), in a power law creep region, are more than those of unstrengthened alloys, where σ is the creep stress, R the gas constant and A the constant. In this research, the influence of carbide precipitates on steady creep rates, is investigated. Experimental details are given. Results are given and discussed. (author)