A nanoindentation study on grain-boundary contributions to strengthening and aging degradation mechanisms in advanced 12 Cr ferritic steel

Nanoindentation experiments and microstructural analysis were performed on advanced 12% Cr ferritic steel having extremely fine and complex martensitic microstructures, to answer unsolved questions on the contributions of grain boundaries to strengthening and aging degradation mechanisms in both as-tempered and thermally aged steels. Interesting features of the experimental results led us to suggest that among several high angle boundaries, block boundary is most effective in enhancing the macroscopic strength in as-tempered virgin sample, and that a decrease in matrix strength rather than reduction in grain-boundary strengthening effect is primarily responsible for the macroscopic softening behavior observed during thermal exposure.