THERMAL MECHANICAL TREATMENT FOR ENHANCING HIGH TEMPERATURE PROPERTIES OF CAST AUSTENITIC STEEL STRUCTURES

摘要

-12-ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREDisclosed is a thermal mechanical treatmentfor improving the high temperature properties of castaustenitic heat resistant chromium-containing alloysteel structures which method comprises (a) heating thestructures to at least the temperature at which chromiumcarbides go into solution, but below the temperaturewhere incipient melting occurs; (b) maintaining thestructures at such a temperature long enough so that atleast 50% of the chromium carbides go into solution;(c) applying from about 15% to 60% plastic deformationby hot forming operations; and (d) cooling the structuresto room temperature at such a rate to allow completerecrystallization of the grains to occur.