Microstructure and Kinetics of Nitride Precipitation in a Quaternary Iron-Based Model Fe-2.82 at. pct Cr-0.13 at. pct Mo-0.18 at. pct V Alloy

Abstract

Internal nitride development in iron-based quaternary Fe-Cr-Mo-V alloy, as a model alloy for 31CrMoV9 steel, was investigated by performing controlled gaseous nitriding experiments. The nitride-precipitation process starts with the development of nanosized platelets of, coherent, cubic NaCl-type nitride, along {100} lattice planes of the ferrite matrix, in association with matrix-lattice dilation. The development of nitride platelets having a NaCl-type crystal structure, satisfying the Baker–Nutting orientation relationship with the ferrite matrix, and the nitrogen content of the nitrided zone suggest the development of a quaternary “mixed” (Cr x ,V y , Mo1−x−y)N nitride, similar to the development of “mixed” ternary nitrides as reported for nitrided Fe-Cr-Al and Fe-Cr-Ti alloys. In a later stage, the nitride platelets undergo discontinuous coarsening resulting in the development of a lamellar microstructure consisting of nitride and ferrite lamellae. Kinetic analysis demonstrated that the thermally activated nature of growth of the diffusion zone is controlled with about equal weights, by the diffusion of nitrogen in the substrate matrix and the matrix lattice solubility of nitrogen.