• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.588-595
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• 2009

The knowledge of grain growth of carbide particles is very important for manufacturing micrograined cemented carbides. In the present study, continuous and discontinuous grain growth in WC-Co and WC-VC-Co cemented carbides is investigated using the Monte Carlo computer simulation technique. The Ostwald ripening process (solution/re-precipitation) and the grain boundary migration process are assumed in the simulation as the grain growth mechanism. The effects of liquid phase fraction, grain boundary energy and implanted coarse grain are examined. At higher liquid phase content, mass transfer via solid/liquid interfaces plays a major role in grain growth. Growth rate of the implanted grain was higher than that of the matrix grains through solution/re-precipitation and coalescence with neighboring grains. The results of these simulations qualitatively agree with experimental ones and suggest that distribution of liquid phase and carbide particle/carbide grain boundary energy as well as contamination by coarse grain are important factors controlling discontinuous grain growth in WC-Co and WC-VC-Co cemented carbides. The contamination by coarse grains must by avoided in the manufacturing process of fine grain cemented carbides, especially with low Co.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2013

The primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) of Alloy 600 in a PWR has been reported in the control rod drive mechanism (CRDM), pressurizer instrumentation, and the pressurizer heater sleeves. Recently, two cases of boric acid precipitation that indicated leaking of the primary cooling water were reported on the bottom head surface of steam generators (SG) in Korea. The PWSCC resistance of Ni base alloys which have intergranular carbides is higher than those which have intragranular carbides. Conversely, in oxidized acidic solutions like sodium sulfate or sodium tetrathionate solutions, the Ni base alloys with a lot of carbides at the grain boundaries and shows less stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance. The role of grain boundary carbides in SCC behavior of Ni base alloys was evaluated and effect of intergranular carbides on the SCC susceptibility were reviewed from the literature.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.132-141
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• 2002

The effects of microstructure on fretting wear were investigated in Inconel 690 tube. The microstructure observation indicated that the solution annealing temperature and time affected the grain size of the Inconel 690 tubes. The carbide morphology, along grain boundaries, was mainly affected by thermal treatment time and temperature. The wear test results showed that specimens with larger grain size and with coarse carbides along grain boundaries had better wear resistance. Cracks were found in specimens with carbides along the grain boundary, while few cracks were found in carbide free specimens. It seemed that the carbides on grain boundary assisted crack formation and propagation in carbide containing specimens. On the other hand, the micro-hardness of specimen did not have a major role in fretting wear. It could be inferred from the SEM images of worn surfaces that the main wear mechanism of carbide containing specimen was delamination, while that of carbide free specimen was abrasion.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.348-349
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• 2006

The plastic deformation behavior of cemented carbides is related to the WC grain boundary strength. Ab initio calculations predict that Co and Mn segregate to WC/WC grain boundaries. To experimentally study the effect of Mn, a WC-Co-Mn material was manufactured and compared to a WC-Co material. The microstructure was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), including electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Special attention was paid to the WC grain size and the frequency of special low-energy grain boundaries. Mn was found to have negligible effect on both the WC grain growth and the fraction of $\sum2$ WC/WC boundaries in the as-sintered material.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.10 no.9
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• pp.612-618
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• 2000

The WC/WC grain boundary structure and intergranular segregation in WC-Co and WC-VC-Co cemented carbides were investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in order to elucidate whether contiguous boundaries were present or not at the atomic level. Some grain boundaries were separated by liquid phase, while others were contiguous at the atomic level. Cobalt was found to be segregated to WC/WC grain boundaries in WC-Co. Cobalt and vanadium were co-segregated to grain boundaries in WC-VC-Co. The segregation width in both materials was about 6 nm. These results suggest that the vanadium present in contiguous boundaries acts as an effective barrier to the migration of boundaries during sintering and annealing. This could explain the grain growth inhibiting mechanism of VC added to WC-Co.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.141-150
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• 2012

Stress corrosion cracks in Alloy 600 compact tension specimens tested at $325^{\circ}C$ in a simulated primary water environment of pressurized water reactor were analyzed by analytical transmission electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). From a fine-probe chemical analysis, oxygen was found on the grain boundary just ahead of the crack tip, and chromium oxides were precipitated on the crack tip and the grain boundary attacked by the oxygen diffusion, leaving a Cr/Fe depletion (or Ni enrichment) zone. The oxide layer inside the crack was revealed to consist of a double (inner and outer) layer. Chromium oxides existed in the inner layer, with NiO and (Ni,Cr) spinels in the outer layer. From the nano-SIMS analysis, oxygen was detected at the locations of intergranular chromium carbides ahead of the crack tip, which means that oxygen diffused into the grain boundary and oxidized the surfaces of the chromium carbides. The intergranular chromium carbide blunted the crack tip, thereby suppressing the crack propagation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1997.05b
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• pp.123-128
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• 1997

The effects of heat treatment on fatigue crack growth rates (FCGRs) of Inconel 690 have been investigated in terms of carbide morphology and grain size. Cycling tests in air at room temperature have shown that FCGR in low stress intensity factor range (ΔK) region can be effectively reduced by increasing the grain boundary carbide precipitate size and grain size. Decrease in FCGR is attributed to the crack tip blunting at the precipitates of grain boundary chromium carbides.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.281-287
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• 2002

In order to investigate the variation of microstructure and property of the Electro-slag Remelted M2 steel, microstructure observation, hardness, and bending test were performed by using optical microscope. SEM/EDS, rockwell hardness tester, charpy impact tester and bending tester, respectively. It was revealed that the number of inclusions and content of gas elements(S, O, N) in M2 steel fabricated by ESR process decreased markedly compared to those of AIM. It seems to be due to refining effect of ESR process. The volume fraction of carbides in quenched and tempered specimens after austenitizing at 1150$^{\circ}C$ and 1240$^{\circ}C$ was measured. The volume fraction of grain boundary carbides were found to be similar for both specimens. However, The volume fraction of carbides in grain decreased with an increase of austenitizing temperature. When specimen was austenitized at 1150$^{\circ}C$, grain boundary carbides showed needle like morphology. But, the carbides were broken with an increase of austenitizing temperature. The specimen austenitized at 1240$^{\circ}C$ showed higher hardness and lower bending strength compared to that of 1150$^{\circ}C$. As expected, toughness increased with sub-zero quenching treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.219-231
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• 1997

Inconel alloys used as nuclear power plant components have experienced intergranular stress corrosion cracking problems inspite of their good corrosion characteristics. In order to investigate the effects of heat treatments on carbide precipitation and intergranular stress corrosion cracking(IGSCC) in Inconel alloys, DSC(Differential Scanning Calorimeter), TEM, EDXS and static potential corrosion tests were carried out. Thermal treatment at $750^{\circ}C$ for 15hours in Inconel alloys increased the density of intergranular carbide. The carbides are mainly $Cr_7C_3$ in Inconel 600, and $Cr_{23}C_6$ in Inconel 690. The Cr depletion around grain boundary is not crucial factor on IGSCC. The carbides in grain boundary play an important role as acting dislocation source, and as decreasing stress around growing crack.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.225-228
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• 2011

Magnetic properties and Rockwell hardness of 1Cr-0.5Mo steel have been investigated as a function of isothermal aging time. Our results showed that coercivity, hysteresis loss and Rockwell hardness in the aged samples decreased as aging time increased. This phenomenon was analyzed using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. A significant diffusion of Cr and Mo atoms formed $M_2C$ and $M_7C$ carbides, lowering the matrix strength. $M_2C$ and $M_7C$ carbides partially segregated inside grains, diffused into grain boundaries, and finally resulted in a soft ferrite matrix and a hard grain boundary. The magnetic and mechanical softening of the matrix is likely to govern the properties of the sample more than the hardening of the grain boundary by carbide precipitations.