Relationship between Creep Strength and Magnetic Properties of Cobalt-bearing High Chromium Ferritic Steel

<p>In this study, the relationship between changes in the magnetic properties and creep strength with the addition of 3 or 6 mass% Co was investigated for ferritic steel containing 15 mass% Cr. Co addition up to 6 mass% hardly contributed to solid solution strengthening or precipitation strengthening at room temperature. However, in the range of 650 to 750°C, the steel with the larger amount of Co exhibited higher creep strength, which is explained by a reduction in the diffusion rate associated with a change in magnetic properties by Co addition. An increase of the volume magnetization of the steel with increasing Co content in the range from room temperature to about 800°C was confirmed. Comparing the difference in volume magnetization and the ratio of the creep strain rate for steels with different amounts of Co, a clear correlation was found. That is, at the temperature at which the difference in volume magnetization reached a maximum, the peak of the creep strain rate ratio was also observed. This result is explained as follows. In a low temperature region where the magnetization is large or in a high temperature region above the Curie point of both steels, the steels exhibit no significant difference in the creep strength. However, at a temperature where one steel loses its ferromagnetism but the other steel retains it, a significant difference in the creep strength is observed.</p>