Effect of welding thermal cycles on the structure and properties of simulated heat-affected zone areas in X10CrMoVNb9-1 (T91) steel at a state after 100,000 h of operation

The article presents results of structural tests (light, scanning electron and scanning transmission electron microscopy) of X10CrMoVNb9-1 (T91) creep-resisting steel after approximately 100,000 h of operation. It was ascertained that the parent metal of T91 steel is characterized by the microstructure of tempered martensite with M₂₃C₆ carbide precipitates and few dispersive precipitates of MX-type niobium and vanadium carbonitrides. The most inconvenient change in T91 steel precipitate morphology due to long-term operation is the appearance of the Laves Fe₂Mo phase which along with M₂₃C₆ carbide particles forms elongated blocks and conglomerates on grain boundaries. The article also presents results of tests related to the effect of simulated welding thermal cycles on selected properties of X10CrMoVNb9-1 (T91) grade steel at a state after approximately 100,000 h of operation. The tests involved the determination of the chemical composition of the steel tested as well as impact tests, hardness measurements and microscopic metallographic examination (based on light microscopy) of simulated heat-affected zone (HAZ) areas for a cooling time (t_8/5) restricted within a range between 3 s and 120 s, with and without heat treatment. The tests revealed that, among other results, hardness values of simulated HAZ areas in X10CrMoVNb9-1 (T91) steel do not guarantee cold crack safety of the steel at the state without additional heat treatment. It was also observed that simulated welding thermal cycles of cooling times t_8/5=3, 12, 60 and 120 s do not significantly affect the toughness and hardness of simulated HAZ areas of the steel tested