Phase composition of EhK 990-ID steel

The microstructure and phase composition of EhK99 steel have been investigated. It is shown that the scandium absolute concentration in solid solution of hot-deformed metal is directly proportional to their total content. It was established that the ratio between the scandium concentration in solid solution and the total content [Sc] ss/[Sc]s is not the function of the latter and constitutes (24.5±5.5) rel.%. The limiting scandium solubility in the EhK99 steel at temperature 1270 deg C was determined. It constitutes 0.07±0.005 mass%. In this paper proposed is the mechanism of intermetallide-and-second phase nucleation and growth during crystallization and homogenizing annealing. The recommendation for regimes of homogenizing annealing (1270 deg C, 12 hours) are given. It is shown that the homogenizing vacuum annealing may have an appreciable influence on the technique plasticity and production of good tubes of EhK99 steel with scandium content no more than 0.07wt%. 2 refs., 10 figs., 2 tabs