ISPAT INLAND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT OF ANALYSIS

Problem Description: Plate Defect Analytical Request: Optical Metallography and Scanning Electron Microscopy Sample Numbers: 4-121

Company Origin: Sidex Submitter: I. Ivan Date Received: June 21, 2004 Investigation No.: 04_Sx_6 Reported to: D. White Reported by: Lusito Laus Copies: I. Ivan, T. Tsai, W. Heitmann, P. Chaubal, S. Lalam Library key words: Sidex, Plate defect SAMPLES/ANALYSIS Sidex submitted a piece of plate sample to Ispat Inland R&D for metallographic and SEM/EDS analyses. The thickness of the plate is 13.5 mm. We were told that the plate material was intended for a welded pipe application. We were not given the material composition, the location in the pipe from where the sample was taken, or the reason for its failure. The sample was polished (as received) on the side face showing a defect. Refer to Figure 1 for low magnification side photographs. Inland also polished the top surface of the sample to observe its microstructure. Refer to Figure 2 for low magnification top photographs. The microstructures of the defect and base materials are shown in Figure 3. The base material displays a normal ferrite-pearlite microstructure that is typical of hot rolled plate. The "defect" appears to be part of a weld or thermally repaired region of the pipe. It consists of a "filler" material and a heat-affected zone both of which have a mixed bainite/acicular ferrite microstructure. A top view of the defect (Figure 4) shows the weld pattern and the bainite/acicular ferrite microstructure of the filler material. SEM/EDS analysis of particles found near the defect area (Figure 5) show high levels of Si, Na, Al, and Mg, elements that are typically found in weld fluxes. Bulk analysis of the base and filler regions (Figures 6 and 7) shows no significant difference in their compositions. Analysis of inclusions found in the heat-affected zone (Figure 8) indicates the presence of rare-earth elements Ce and La. These may have come from the stabilizers used in the weld flux. Our impression is that the defect is part of a weld that may have had a weld slag inclusion. There is Date Reported: July 19, 2004

2 nothing unusual about the microstructure of the base material.

Side View

Defect

Figure 1. Side view of the plate (as received) showing defect.

38x

Top View

Defect

Figure 2. Top view of the plate showing defect, nital etch.

3 PLATE SAMPLE MICROSTRUCTURE Side View

Microstructure near the defect

380x

Defect

16x Base Material

Heat Affected Zone

380x

Figure 3. Microstructures of the regions near the defect, heat-affected zone and base material, nital etch.

Top View

380x

380x

38x

Defect 38x Figure 4. Microstructure at the defect from the top view, nital etch.

5 SEM Analyses

16x Figure 5. SEM analysis of the inclusions found at the defect.

Figure 6. Chemistry of the base material by SEM analysis.

Figure 7. Chemistry of the defect by SEM analysis.

Defect

Porosity

Figure 8. SEM analysis of the inclusions at the porosity.