Abstract
Segregation of phosphorus to grain boundaries in commercial grade 2·25Cr1Mo and A533B steels subjected to a variety of heat treatments has been examined using field emission gun scanning transmission electron microscope (FEGSTEM) with energy dispersive X-ray micro-analysis. The measured grain boundary P concentrations have been used to explain the low temperature brittle fracture behaviour, which exhibits increasing levels of intergranular embrittlement as a function of aging time at 520°C. The results show that P segregation at grain boundaries has a strong effect on the intergranular area fraction, the microscopic fracture stress, and the fracture toughness. Phosphorus peak height ratios measured using auger electron spectroscopy are shown to follow a linear relationship with the FEGSTEM/X-ray values.
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