Influence of non-metal inclusions on mechanical properties of Clam steel

Full text of publication follows: With good irradiation swelling resistance, thermo-physical and thermo-mechanical properties, the RAFMs (Reduced Activation Ferritic / Martensitic steels) have been considered as the primary candidate structural materials for application in fusion systems in the near future. The China Low Activation Martensitic steel (CLAM) based on the nominal compositions of 9Cr1.5WVTa is being developed in Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) under wide collaboration with many other institutes and universities in domestic and overseas. The heat treatment of CLAM is quenching at 980 deg. C for 30 minutes and then cooled by air or water and tempering at 760 deg. C for 90 minutes and then cooled by air. Mechanical properties of CLAM were strongly affected by the size and distribution of non-metal inclusions as most steels, and its effects on mechanical properties of CLAM steel has been investigated. The evaluation of the non-metallic inclusions in CLAM has been done by optical microscopy observation, electron microscopy observation and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. The results showed that most of the non-metal inclusions in CLAM were brittle alumina phase with large size and non-uniform distribution and those were no good to the mechanical properties of CLAM. So electroslag remelting process was chosen to remelt the ingot which was smelted previously by vacuum induction furnace. Inclusion detection by optical microscopy showed that both of the dimensions and quantity of the inclusions decreased and their distributions became more uniform compared with the case before. And the tensile tests and Charpy V-notch impact tests indicated that electroslag remelting improved the tensile properties and impact toughness of CLAM steel. (authors)