2017 Chandan Pandey

12/15/23, 10:22 PM Microstructure and mechanical property relationship for different heat treatment and hydrogen level in multi-pass
ti-pass welded P…
Journal of Manufacturing Processes

Volume 28, Part 1, August 2017, Pages 220-234
Microstructure and
mechanical property
relationship for different heat
treatment and hydrogen level
in multi-pass welded P91
steel joint
Chandan Pandey a , M.M. Mahapatra b, Pradeep Kumar a,
N. Saini a , A. Srivastava c
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2017.06.009
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Abstract
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1526612517301561?via%3Dihub 1/14
12/15/23, 10:22 PM Microstructure and mechanical property relationship for different heat treatment and hydrogen level in multi-pass welded P…
The effect of heat treatment condition and diffusible

hydrogen level on microstructure and mechanical properties
of multi-pass shielded metal arc welded (SMAW) P91 steel
butt joints of 18 mm thickness has been studied. Field-
emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Mercury
diffusible hydrogen measurement, Charpy test, room-
temperature tensile testing, hardness measurement and
energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were performed
to characterize the multi-pass SMAW joints in as-welded,
post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) and
normalizing/tempering (N&T) state. The P91 steel butt joints
with low level of diffusible hydrogen exhibited higher
tensile strength and toughness. Both PWHT and N&T
treatment provided similar mechanical properties but a
significant microstructure variation was noticed for different
zones of P91 welds. N&T treatment produced the
homogenize microstructure along the P91 weldments both
in terms of microstructure and micro-hardness.
Graphical abstract
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Introduction
In nuclear and thermal power plants, 9–12% Cr

ferritic/martensitic steels have been used as a major
candidate material since the eighties. ASTM A335 P91 (also
known as the modified 9Cr-1Mo steel) as a candidate
material of 9–12% Cr ferritic/martensitic steel family is
widely used in nuclear and thermal power plants because of
improved mechanical and thermal properties in severe
condition of temperature and pressure [1], [2], [3]. The P91
steel is also used in power plants for high efficiency power
generation simultaneously decreasing the environment
pollution by reducing the emission of CO2 [4]. For out-of-
core and in-core (piping, cladding, ducts, wrappers, and
pressure vessel) of Gen IV reactors, P91 steel is also
considered as a candidate material because of high oxidation
resistance and high resistance to radiation damage [5], [6]. In
the 1970’s, P91 steel was developed in the Oak Ridge

National Laboratory (ORNL). The mechanical properties of
P91 steel was mainly improved by modifying the chemical
composition of plain 9Cr-1Mo (P9) steel. Compared to other
steel of Cr-Mo family, P91 steel offers enhanced tensile
strength, toughness, yield strength and creep rupture
strength, adequate fracture toughness and stress corrosion
cracking [7], [8], [9]. High thermal conductivity and low
thermal expansion coefficient at higher temperature make
P91 steel more reliable against creep and thermal loading
[10], [11].
P91 steel can be welded easily by many arc welding

processes including manual metal arc welding, gas tungsten
arc welding and submerged arc welding [12], [13], [14]. After
the welding, post weld heat treatment (PWHT) is
recommended by many researchers for tempering of the
newly formed martensite [12], [13]. Welding process led to
lath martensitic formation in the weld fusion zone. Welding
process not only affects the weld fusion zone microstructure
but also affects the small area adjacent to the weld fusion
line. The small heat affected area besides the fusion line is
denoted as the heat affected zone (HAZ). The heating and
cooling during the weld thermal cycle resulted a non-
equilibrium structure formation that led to reduction of
creep strength of weld metal compared to the as-received
P91 base metal. On the basis of temperature experienced
during the weld thermal cycle, P91 weldment is divided into
weld fusion zone, coarse grained HAZ (CGHAZ), fine grained
HAZ (FGHAZ), inter-critical HAZ (ICHAZ) and over-tempered

base metal [16], [17]. The HAZ experienced the austenitic
transformation during heating, martensitic transformation
during cooling and precipitates dissolution. The non-
equilibrium structure across the weldment limits the life of
P91 weldments under the high-temperature service
condition. Various HAZs formed in P91 weldments does not
show the optimal microstructure and precipitation
characteristic as found in the as-received virgin metal for
optimized mechanical properties and creep strength. To
overcome the quenching stress and non- equilibrium
structure gradient across the P91 weldments, PWHT is
carried out just after the welding. The microstructural
changes in sub-zone of P91 weldments after the PWHT has
been already reported [12], [13], [14], [15], [16]. Author(s)
[17], [18] also suggested the normalizing and tempering
(N&T) treatment just after the welding is quite helpful to
overcome the microstructure gradient. Pandey et al. [17] had
reported about the effect of N&T treatment on
microstructure and tensile properties of multi-pass TIG
welded P91 pipe weldments. They have been reported that
the N&T treatment provides the superior microstructure and
mechanical properties compared to subsequent PWHT. Abd
El-Salam et al. [18] had also compared the effect of PWHT
and N&T treatment on microstructure and mechanical
properties of P91 weldments.
Along the non- equilibrium microstructure formation across

the P91 weldments, hydrogen-assisted cracking (HAC) is also
a serious issue in P91 weldments. HAC in P91 weldments has

been reported by many Author(s) [19], [20], [21]. Pandey et
al. [22] had also studied the effect of diffusible hydrogen
level on the tensile and flexural performance of single pass
SMAW deposited metal on P91 steel. They had reported that
increase in diffusible hydrogen in deposited metal decreased
the tensile and flexural strength of joint. Pandey et al. [23]
had also reported about the hydrogen induced cold cracking
of P91 steel for different diffusible hydrogen levels in
deposited metal. Due to lack of techniques for measurement
of diffusible hydrogen in multi-pass, it is difficult to measure
the diffusible hydrogen in multi-pass weld. Hence, a rough
estimation has been made for multi-pass welds as electrode
having high level of diffusible hydrogen in single pass will
provide much more diffusible hydrogen for the multi-pass
weld.
In current research work, P91 weldments have been

produced by using the SMAW process for four different
hydrogen level and two different heat treatments
(subcritical PWHT, normalizing/tempering). The effect of
heat treatment and diffusible hydrogen have been studied
on microstructure and mechanical properties (tensile
properties, Charpy toughness) of multi-pass welded P91
steel plate. Conclusion are reached regarding the preferred
weld consumable condition and heat treatment which
produce optimal microstructure that might lead to the
optimum combination of tensile properties and Charpy
toughness.
Section snippets
Material and welding procedure
The P91 steel plate was supplied in cast and forged (C&F)
condition by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) as a
plate of thickness 20 mm and width 200 mm. The chemical
composition of C&F P91 steel was analyzed using Optical
Emission Spectrometer (Make: Metavision, model: 1008i) in
the laboratory. The chemical composition and mechanical
properties of P91 plate in as-received condition are shown in
Table 1, Table 2. For the welding purpose, plate of dimension
150 × 90 × 18 mm was machined from the…
As-received material
Fig. 4(a) shows the secondary electron micrograph of as-

received C&F P91 steel, which consisted of tempered
martensitic laths with coarse and fine precipitates along the
lath boundaries and intra-lath region. The detailed
microstructural analysis of as-received C&F P91 steel has
been reported by the Pandey et al. [22], [23]. The as-received
microstructure consisted of mainly M23C6 (where M = Cr, Fe,
Mo, Mn) and MX (where M = V, Nb and X = C, N) type of
precipitates. The coarse M23C6 precipitates…
Conclusions
The conclusions of this part of the study are summarized as

follows:
1. In as-welded condition, the structural heterogeneity
across the P91 weldments reduced the mechanical
properties and develop the hardness gradient.…
2. Diffusible hydrogen content more than 6.21 ml/100 g of

deposited metal was found to be more susceptible to
hydrogen embrittlement.…
3. N&T treatment with low level of diffusible hydrogen

(case I) produced optimized microstructure across the
P91 weldments that led to improved mechanical…
Acknowledgements
The steel and welding consumables used in the present work
were supplied by Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited Haridwar-
India. The experimental work was also supported by
Department of Science and Technology (DST) Govt. of India
and Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee. Authors are
thankful to BHEL Haridwar, DST and Indian Institute of
Technology Roorkee for the support. Authors are thankful to
Mr. S. M. Mishra (Lab Assistant-MIED Laboratory IIT
Roorkee), Subodh Kumar (Lab Assistant-MIED…
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References (38)
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Evolution of phases in P91 steel in various heat
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Eng Fail Anal (2011)
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12/15/23, 10:22 PM Microstructure and mechanical property relationship for different heat treatment and hydrogen level in multi-pass

Journal of Manufacturing Processes

The effect of heat treatment condition and diffusible

Download : Download high-res image (163KB)

In nuclear and thermal power plants, 9–12% Cr

the 1970’s, P91 steel was developed in the Oak Ridge

P91 steel can be welded easily by many arc welding

HAZ (FGHAZ), inter-critical HAZ (ICHAZ) and over-tempered

Along the non- equilibrium microstructure formation across

a serious issue in P91 weldments. HAC in P91 weldments has

In current research work, P91 weldments have been

Material and welding procedure

Fig. 4(a) shows the secondary electron micrograph of as-

The conclusions of this part of the study are summarized as

2. Diffusible hydrogen content more than 6.21 ml/100 g of

3. N&T treatment with low level of diffusible hydrogen

K.L. Murty et al.

Cyclic stress-strain behavior of 9Cr1Mo steel at

G.H. Koo et al.

View more references

Local microstructure evolution of a V-containing Fe–

Effect of δ-ferrite in welded ER308 and ER316

Evaluation of microstructure degradation during

fine-sized MX (M: V, Nb; X: C, N) carbonitrides [8–13]. Generally,

Electrochemical corrosion analysis of wire arc

Microstructure and sulfide stress corrosion cracking

Investigation on the fracture behaviour of wire arc

2022, Theoretical and Applied Fracture Mechanics

View full text

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