Literature review (Alexandra)

Effects of boundary characteristics on resistance to temper embrittlement and

segregation behavior of Ni–Cr–Mo low alloy steel
(https://ac.els-cdn.com/S0921509312015134/1-s2.0-S0921509312015134-
main.pdf?_tid=79f6ef8f-458f-44b1-808e-
05913d1c2ed2&acdnat=1548545168_d8c959c4bce31c0596afea9db1474b3f)
- SA508 grade 4N compared to SA508 grade 3 - higher strength and fracture
toughness (due to tempered martensitic microstructure + solid solution)
- Neutron radiation -> major factor for embrittlement
- Cooling rates are controlled after austenitisation so that resistance to temper
embrittlement is lower in tempered martensite than in tempered bainite (grade 3)

Master curve characterization of the fracture toughness behavior in SA508 Gr.4N low
alloy steels (https://ac.els-cdn.com/S0022311510002436/1-s2.0-S0022311510002436-
main.pdf?_tid=ad9f6659-816e-4d75-96c2-
0f14006cf968&acdnat=1548544469_c9abd616b448c266a8844601a2683a8c)
- Charpy impact test according to ASTM E1921-09c standard
- Invalid points can be determined using ASTM E1921 validity limit equation
- Weibull plot - grade 3 within theoretical predictions, but grade 4N higher slopes
- Fracture toughness - grade 3 within theoretical predictions, but grade 4N changes
more steeply with temperature

Critical cleavage fracture stress characterization of A508 nuclear pressure vessel

steels (https://ac.els-cdn.com/S0308016114000854/1-s2.0-S0308016114000854-
main.pdf?_tid=8d593b12-d776-43a0-85ef-
71a8d901e501&acdnat=1548545074_54d2ab1b55fd6ddaca3c5b0641e170f0)
- Critical cleavage fracture stress of SA508 grade 4N >> grade 3
- Grade 4N - much smaller grains, and finer and more homogeneous carbide particles
- Grade 4N is better than grade 3 - higher strength, notch toughness and improved
cleavage fracture behaviour

Characterization of transition behavior in SA508 Gr.4N Ni–Cr–Mo low alloy steels with
microstructural alteration by Ni and Cr contents (https://ac.els-
cdn.com/S0921509311009725/1-s2.0-S0921509311009725-main.pdf?_tid=3431f9ed-9cb3-
4f43-a83b-e797e5fdd27c&acdnat=1548544930_71b920fb72fc4945dd1bf9ad93c2c889)
- Charpy according to ASTM E23 and E1921 standards
- SA508 grade 4N: as Ni and Cr contents are increased, improved impact toughness
and fracture toughness are observed
- Ni is more important to impact toughness
- Cr is more important to fracture toughness

Comparison of fracture properties in SA508 Gr.3 and Gr.4N high strength low alloy
steels for advanced pressure vessel materials (https://ac.els-
cdn.com/S0308016115000460/1-s2.0-S0308016115000460-main.pdf?_tid=cb7009bd-c1de-
42fa-820d-bb42a3de2b88&acdnat=1548544564_dba2367732041bef2d9d65d543997584)
- SA508 grade 4N - tempered martensitic structure
 - SA508 grade 3 (Class 1 and 2) - tempered upper bainitic structure
- SA508 grade 4N showed the best strength and transition behaviour
- SA508 grade 3 class 2 showed good strength and fracture toughness, but decreased
upper-self energy
- Aging behaviour of grade 4N needs further study (irradiation embrittlement
resistance)

EFFECTS OF TEMPERING AND PWHT ON MICROSTRUCTURES AND MECHANICAL

PROPERTIES OF SA508 GR.4N STEEL (https://ac.els-cdn.com/S1738573315301376/1-
s2.0-S1738573315301376-main.pdf?_tid=2423e1f8-6278-495f-ac93-
267798e65589&acdnat=1548544578_86f45d01b9b0c034f56b27efbde6a137)
- Post-Weld Heat Treatment: lower hardness and yield strength, but higher impact
toughness (especially tempered at 630 Celsius degrees)
- Variation in mechanical properties due to under-tempering and carbide coarsening
- PWHT -> deterioration of ductile-brittle transition by an increase of coarse carbides

Analysis of the master curve approach on the fracture toughness properties of SA508
Gr.4N Ni–Mo–Cr low alloy steels for reactor pressure vessels (https://ac.els-
cdn.com/S0921509310002297/1-s2.0-S0921509310002297-main.pdf?_tid=863e8634-e938-
440d-89c5-55db419d8d24&acdnat=1548544585_65974a0469bf6cfefbda81212b91a290)
- Fracture toughness test results -> deviation from the predicted curve at low
temperatures
- Just like in “Master table...” paper, they changed the exponential parameter to fit an
appropriate curve

Correlation of the thermodynamic calculation and the experimental observation of Ni–

Mo–Cr low alloy steel changing Ni, Mo, and Cr contents (https://ac.els-
cdn.com/S0022311510004721/1-s2.0-S0022311510004721-main.pdf?_tid=d9a5bb22-edcc-
435b-9285-68ff6a764ba5&acdnat=1548544592_b75350219d45c11f936416dcf4fd495e)
- SA508 grade 4N is better than SA508 grade 3 because grade 3 has lower than 1%
Ni, which greatly impacts the material’s mechanical properties
- If Mo, Ni and Cr contents are increased, mechanical properties show significant
improvements

I also found a presentation given by David W. Gandy (FASM Nuclear Materials Electric
Power Research Institute) in collaboration with Roll-Royce, Hitachi, Carpenter and the US
department of Energy. It compares Additive Manufacturing to HIP (page 10), and
characterises SA508 grade 3, which is the one currently used in the nuclear industry as a
Reactor Pressure Vessel Steel (page 24). The chemical composition is shown at page 25,
tempering (page 26), tensile test results (page 27-28) and Charpy impact test (page 29-30).
Link: https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2016/10/f34/05%20-
%20Innovative%20Manufacturing%20Process%20for%20Nuclear%20Power%20Plant%20C
omponents%20via%20Powder%20Metallurgy%20and%20Hot%20Isostatic%20Processing%
20Methods_0.pdf