简介:Inthelastthreedecadesnewstrongermodified9%Crsteelshavebeenintroducedinnewpowerplantswithsteamparametersupto300bar(1bar=10~5Pa)and600℃.Inordertofurtherincreasethesteamparametersofsteelbasedpowerplantsuptoatargetvalueof650℃/325baritisnecessarytodoublethecreepstrengthcomparedwithtodaysstrongest9%Crsteels,andatthesametimetheresistanceagainststeamoxidationmustbeimprovedbyadding12%Crtothesteel.However,sofarallattemptstomakestronger12%Crsteelshavebeenunsuccessfulbecausethehighchromiumcontentintroducedseveremicrostructureinstabilitiesinthetestedsteels.Recently,itwasfoundthatthemicrostructureinstabilitiesin11%-12%CrsteelscanbeexplainedbytheprecipitationofcoarseCr(V,Nb)NZ-phases,whichdissolvefine(V,Nb)Nnitrides.AnewpossibilitytousetheZ-phaseforstrengtheningof12%Crsteelshasbeenidentified,andthedevelopmentofstablestrongmartensitic12%Crsteelsbasedonthisconceptisexpectedtoallowtheconstructionof325bar/650℃steampowerplantsallbasedonsteel.