Effect of boron on creep characteristics in 9Cr-1.5Mo alloys

For thick-section components such as headers and pipes of the power plants, high creep rupture strength and oxidation resistance are required. It is known that the addition of boron can improve the creep strength and oxidation resistance through the stabilization of M₂₃C₆ carbides in the vicinity of prior austenite grain boundaries. In this study, the effect of boron addition with the range of 0.0033~0.0133 wt% on the creep behavior of 9Cr-1.5Mo steel was investigated. Small punch creep tests were carried out to investigate the effect of boron addition on creep properties. Microstructure observation was performed to analyze the effect of boron addition on creep strength and rupture life. Also, the relationship between the minimum creep rate and the amount of boron addition were analyzed. The addition of boron is beneficial in lowering the steady-state creep rate.