Effect of Trace-Ti Content on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of 1Cr10Co6MoVNbN Steel

The effect of Ti content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of 1Cr10Co6MoVNbN steel was systematically investigated by comparing a low-Ti steel (LTS, 0.0066 wt.%) with a high-Ti steel (HTS, 0.02 wt.%). Increasing the Ti content was found to markedly alter the precipitate distribution and, consequently, the creep and high-temperature tensile behavior. In HTS, the higher Ti level promoted the preferential formation of (Ti,Nb)N inclusions during solidification; EDS analyses indicated that the matrix of HTS was substantially depleted of Nb, N, Mo, and V relative to LTS, consistent with this preferential nitride formation. In the tempered state, HTS exhibited larger NbC particles that were frequently attached to (Ti,Nb)N inclusions, whereas LTS contained finer, more uniformly dispersed NbC and abundant needle-like Cr₂N precipitates within martensitic laths. These microstructural differences correlated with a substantially higher 100 h creep strain in HTS compared with LTS at 550 °C and 325 MPa, and with a 550 °C tensile strength in HTS that fell below the aerospace standard requirement. Post-creep examination further revealed void formation around (Ti,Nb)N inclusions in HTS, suggesting that these inclusions act as stress concentrators that reduce the effective load-bearing area during creep. The results indicate that strict control of Ti content is essential in Nb-N-strengthened martensitic steels to avoid excessive (Ti,Nb)N formation and the associated degradation of high-temperature mechanical performance.