Influence of Boron on Stress-Relief Cracking Susceptibility of T23 Steel

The effect of boron on stress-relief cracking (SRC) sensitivity in the coarse grain heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) of ASME SA213-T23 was studied by thermo-mechanical simulation. Then, the fracture mode, microstructure, carbide evolution, and boron segregation were observed by an optical microscope, a scanning electron microscope, a transmission electron microscope, and an electron probe microanalyzer. Finally, the mechanism of increasing boron content to improve SRC resistance was described. The results showed that when the boron content is lower than 0.0038 wt.-%, T23 steel is sensitive to SRC at 550–750°C (1022–1382°F), and the sensitive temperature range narrows as the boron content increases. When the boron content increases to 0.010 wt.-%, SRC can be eliminated. Moreover, boron addition did not improve grain boundary (GB) strength nor did it fundamentally change the fracture mode at high temperatures, but it significantly improved intergranular ductility. This is because the boron segregation at the GB inhibits the precipitation of M23C6 carbides, which reduces the void nucleation and alloy element depletion near the GB, thus significantly improving intergranular plasticity. The improvement of intergranular plasticity gives the grain sufficient time to deform and greatly improves the overall plasticity of the CGHAZ. As a result, the SRC resistance of the welded joint is significantly improved because the stress can be released through enough plastic deformation during postweld heat treatment or service.