Effects of aluminum additions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of alumina‐forming austenitic stainless steels

Abstract The mechanical properties, including tensile and impact properties at different testing temperatures of alumina‐forming austenitic steels (25 % nickel, 20 % chromium) with different aluminum contents (0, 2.5 %, 5 % and 8 %) were investigated. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy together with tensile and impact properties tests were conducted. The results showed that the tensile strength of steels at 298 K increased obviously along with aluminum contents increasing, while plasticity decreased at the same, which attributed to the higher volume fraction and number density of spherical NiAl precipitation together with main ferrite in matrix. In addition, spherical NiAl particles dispersed easily in ferrite. In particular, the ultimate tensile strength of the sample with 8 % aluminum could reach 1398 MPa, with the elongation of 14 % at 298 K. However, NiAl precipitations would lose strengthening effects at high temperatures, but the plasticity could be improved. In addition, the sample with 5 % aluminum showed better comprehensive properties by comparison to other samples, and the ultimate tensile strength was 1018 MPa and 491 MPa at 298 K and 973 K with the elongation of 26 % and 43 %, respectively, enabling it to be promising material for industrial application in advanced nuclear systems.