| Abstract Scope |
Oxide dispersion-strengthened (ODS) steel has long been pursued as an ideal material for high temperature and nuclear applications, due to the high thermal stability and strong pinning effect of the oxide particles. However, ODS steel is inherently difficult to manufacture at scale. Due to the poor wettability between oxide particles and molten steel, the oxide particles readily sinter during conventional liquid metallurgy processing, losing their intended effect. In this work, we present a novel concept of using micro-alloying elements, such as Nb and Cr, to improve the wettability between oxide particles and molten steel and, in turn, enable the production of ODS by slow solidification (<5 K/S). This novel processing route for ODS steel can circumvent the need for costly processing methods, such as rapid cooling and powder metallurgy, and allow large scale production of ODS steel for demanding applications. |