Observations of copper clustering in a 25Cr-7Ni super duplex stainless steel during low-temperature aging under load

Atom-probe tomography was used to investigate phase separation and copper (Cu) clustering in the ferrite phase of a 25Cr-7Ni super duplex stainless steel. The steel was subjected to a tensile load during aging at 325°C for 5800 h. The degree of phase separation into α (Fe-rich) and α′ (Cr-rich) was small, but still, it was the highest in the steel subjected to the highest load. Cu was found to cluster, and the number density of clusters increased with increasing load. In the material subjected to the highest load, Cu was enriched in regions that were neither Fe-rich nor Cr-rich. These regions also had the highest number density of Cu clusters.