Effect of arsenic and copper+arsenic on high temperature oxidation and hot shortness behavior of C-Mn steel

Abstract

To avoid surface hot shortness of C-Mn steels containing arsenic and copper+arsenic, high temperature oxidation behavior of the steels were systematically investigated. The results showed that the presence of arsenic and copper+arsenic accelerated oxidation degree of C-Mn steel. Meanwhile, arsenic alone contributed to grain boundaries oxidation, which resulted in the formation of noticeable oxide particles band along grain boundaries at 1 000°C and 1 050°C. Furthermore, arsenic enrichment degree and the penetration of copper-rich liquid phase containing arsenic into grain boundaries was most severe at 1 050°C, while arsenic enrichment degree and the penetration of copper-rich liquid phase were reduced when oxidation temperatures exceeded 1 100° C due to diffusion of arsenic and copper+arsenic back into the metal and the occlusion of arsenic-rich/copper-rich particles into oxide scale. The hot-compression testing results were confirmed to agree well with enrichment characteristics of arsenic and copper+arsenic in thermogravimetric (TG) investigations.