Temperature dependence of liquid metal embrittlement susceptibility of a modified 9Cr–1Mo steel under low cycle fatigue in lead–bismuth eutectic at 160–450 °C

Abstract

Low cycle fatigue properties of a 9Cr–1Mo ferritic-martensitic steel (T91) have been tested in a low oxygen concentration (LOC) lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) environment and in vacuum at 160–450 °C. The results show a clear fatigue endurance “trough” in LOC LBE, while no such a strong temperature dependence of the fatigue endurance is observed when the steel is tested in vacuum. The fractographic observations by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show that ductile microdimples are prevalent on the fracture surfaces of the specimens tested in vacuum, whereas the fracture surfaces produced in LOC LBE at all the temperatures are characterized by quasi-cleavage. Interestingly, using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), martensitic laths close to the fatigue crack walls or to the fracture surfaces of the specimens tested in vacuum are found to have transformed into very fine equiaxed subgrains. Nevertheless, such microstructural modifications do not happen to the specimens tested in LOC LBE at 160–450 °C. These interesting microstructural distinctions indicate that liquid metal embrittlement (LME) is able to occur throughout the fatigue crack propagation phase in the full range of the temperatures investigated, i.e. LME is not very sensitive to temperature during the fatigue crack propagation.