Effect of Niobium on the Ferrite Continuous-Cooling-Transformation (CCT) Curve of Ultrahigh-Thickness Cr-Mo Steel

Pressure vessels made for petrochemical and power plants using Cr-Mo steel must be thick (≥400 mm) and have high tensile strength (≥600 MPa). However, the tensile strength in the middle portion of the vessel is very low as a result of ferrite formation. Therefore, research was performed to study the ferrite transformation that occurs in the middle portion of high-thickness Cr-Mo steel when Nb is added to it. The ferrite-formation start time of the continuous-cooling-transformation (CCT) curve decreased with an increase in Nb content until the latter reached 0.05 pct. On cooling from the austenitizing temperature, some of the NbC present at the austenitizing temperature of 1203 K (930 °C) goes into austenite solution in the temperature range of 1173 K to 1073 K (900 °C to 800 °C). However, the ferrite curve shifted to the left for the alloy containing 0.075 pct Nb. It is postulated that the surplus NbC could act as ferrite nucleation sites despite the lower cooling rate. As a result, the hardenability improved in the order of the following Nb content: 0.05 pct, 0.025 pct, 0 pct, and 0.075 pct.