Use of microstructure control to toughen ferritic steels for cryogenic use. I. Fe--Ni steels

Alternation of austenitization and austenite + ferrite two-phase decomposition treatment in a cyclic thermal treatment allows the achievement of ultra-fine grain size in steels containing 8-12% Ni. The grain refinement leads to a substantial improvement in cryogenic mechanical properties. The ductile-brittle transition temperature of a ferritic Fe-12Ni-0.25Ti alloy was suppressed to below liquid helium temperature by this grain refinement procedure; the transition temperature of commercial ''9Ni'' cryogenic steel was similarly reduced by combining the grain refinement with a final temper which introduces a small admixture of retained austenite