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Room temperature hydrogen embrittlement susceptibility of Eurofer base-metal and gas-tungsten-arc-welded joint has been investigated by fully-reversed load-control low cycle fatigue. The tests were run on specimens subjected to electrochemical charging before and during cyclic stressing. Compared to the uncharged condition, increasing amounts of hydrogen in base-steel caused fatigue life reduction by promoting premature cracking of either grain boundaries or cleavage planes. Examination of fracture morphologies indicated that the underlying embrittlement mechanisms likely correlated with plastic flow alteration and interatomic bond decohesion, both induced by hydrogen. Specimen-to-specimen response variability by test replication was accounted for in terms of Eurofer material heterogeneity, based on relevant experimental indexes. This interpretation was consistent with the well known sensitivity to microstructure of hydrogen embrittlement processes, and explained the large scatter of fatigue lives and failure modes subsequently observed in equivalently charged Eurofer weld samples.

The paper presents a novel low activation brazing technique for SiCf/SiC composites. The brazing alloy does not contain free silicon and is based on the use of a Si–44Cr at.% eutectic and the intermetallic CrSi2 (melting temperatures 1390 and 1490 °C, respectively). These are advantageous because the melting point is low enough to avoid degradation of the advanced fibres and of the interphases in the composite, and the Si–Cr intermetallics are chemically compatible with silicon carbide. Both the eutectic and the intermetallic were prepared before brazing operations by melting a Si–Cr mixture. The joining was performed under vacuum (about 10−4 Pa). Systematic investigations of the microstructure and of the nanochemistry (TEM, EELS, ELNES) of the Si–Cr joints reveal that direct chemical Si–Si, Cr–C and Si–Cr bonds across the interface are responsible for the adhesion: the interfaces were proved to be nearly atomically sharp and adhesive. Altogether, this brazing procedure enables joints with sufficient strength and with a microstructure comparable with that of the starting powders to be obtained.

Seven laboratory experimental casts of 7–9% Cr Ti-bearing martensitic steels were obtained via VIM process. Plates of 25 mm thickness were produced by hot rolling. On each cast CCT diagrams and critical temperatures were determined. Several austenitizing treatments were performed to study the grain size evolution. The effect of microstructure on impact properties were finally investigated. This paper discusses the role of chemical composition on microstructural and physical properties and shows the beneficial effect either of low-temperature austenitizing or double-austenitizing steps on impact properties.