Kinetics of G-phase precipitation and spinodal decomposition in very long aged ferrite of a Mo-free duplex stainless steel

Evolution of spinodal decomposition and G-phase precipitation in ferrite of a thermally aged Mo-free duplex stainless steel was studied by Atom Probe Tomography (APT). Kinetics was compared to kinetics observed in ferrite of some Mo-bearing steels aged in similar conditions. This paper shows that formation of the G-phase particles proceeds via at least a two-step mechanism: enrichment of α/α′ inter-domains by G-former elements followed by formation of G-phase particles. As expected, G-phase precipitation is much less intense in the Mo-free steel than in Mo-bearing steels. The kinetic synergy observed in Mo-bearing steels between spinodal decomposition and G-phase precipitation is shown to also exist in Mo-free steel. Spinodal decomposition is less developed in the ferrite of the Mo-free steel investigated than in Mo-bearing steels: both the amplitude of the decomposition and the effective time exponent of the wavelength (0.06 versus 0.16) are much lower for the Mo-free steel. Neither the temperature of homogenisation nor quench effects or Ni and Mo contents could successfully explain the low time exponent of the spinodal decomposition observed in the Mo-free steel. The diffusion mechanisms could be at the origin of the different time exponents (diffusion along α/α′ interfaces or diffusion of small clusters).