Influence of Quenching-Tempering on the Carbide Precipitation of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25V Steel Used in Reactor Pressure Vessels

Abstract The carbide precipitation of 2.25Cr-1Mo-0.25V steel is studied during the head-fabrication heat treatment process using gold replica technique, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). Shapes, structures and sizes of carbides before and after heat treatment are analyzed. The dissolution of strip-shaped carbides and the precipitation of granular carbides are confirmed. Amorphous films at the boundaries of carbides are observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), which is formed due to the electron irradiation under TEM.