Creep rupture behavior of 2.25Cr1Mo0.25V steel and weld for hydrogenation reactors under different stress levels

Abstract

Abstract In the present research work, the 2.25Cr1Mo0.25V steel plates with a thickness of 112 mm were welded using the multi-pass submerged automatic arc welding process. The creep specimens were prepared from the base metal (BM) and weld metal (WM) in the welded joint after heat treatment process. The uniaxial creep tests were performed to investigate the creep deformation and rupture behaviors at 550°C under different applied stress levels. The microstructure and fracture surface morphology of crept BM and WM samples were also characterized using the scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The results showed that typical three-stage creep deformation curves are observed in both BM and WM specimens, and the BM exhibits a faster deformation rate than the WM. Both the creep rupture time and uniaxial creep ductility are found to be increased with a decrease in applied stress. Furthermore, the relationship between the minimum creep rate and time to rupture of both BM and WM samples was obtained, and it can be described using a unified Monkman–Grant equation. In addition, it is found that the creep fractures of the BM and WM are a transgranular ductile failure. The creep damages of both materials are mainly associated with the microstructural degradations, that is, the initiation and coalescence of creep cavities at second phase particles such as carbide and inclusion particles along the loading direction.