FAQ What Is Temper Embrittlement, and How Can It Be Controlled

FAQ: What is temper embrittlement, and how can it be controlled?
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What is temper embrittlement, and how can it be controlled?

Frequently Asked Questions
Temper embrittlement refers to the decrease in notch toughness of alloy steels when heated in, or cooled slowly
through, a temperature range of 400C to 600C. Temper embrittlement can also occur as a result of isothermal
exposure to this temperature range. The occurrence of temper embrittlement can be determined by measurement
of the change in the ductile to brittle transition temperature with a notched bar impact test, before and after heat
treatment. In most cases, the hardness and tensile properties of the material will not show any change as a result
of embrittlement, but the transition temperature can be raised by as much as 100C for embrittling heat
treatments.
Temper embrittlement is caused by the presence of specific impurities in the steel, which segregate to prior
austenite grain boundaries during heat treatment. The main embrittling elements (in order of importance) are
antimony, phosphorous, tin and arsenic. The fracture surface of a material embrittled by these elements has an
intergranular appearance.
FAQ: How is Barrikade

made?
Plain carbon steels with less than 0.5% Mn are not susceptible to temper embrittlement. However, additions of Ni,
Cr and Mn will cause greater susceptibility to temper embrittlement. Small additions of W and Mo can inhibit temper
embrittlement, but this inhibition is reduced with greater additions.
FAQ: What is Charpy

Testing?
The original toughness of a steel which has suffered temper embrittlement can be restored by heating to above
600C, and then cooling rapidly to below 300C. However, the best method of avoidance is to reduce the
embrittling impurities through control of raw materials and steel production.
FAQ: What is
graphitisation?
In order to assess susceptibility to temper embrittlement in Cr-Mo steels, two compositional parameters are
commonly employed, the Watanabe J factor (1) and the Bruscato X factor (2).
FAQ: What are

electroceramics?
J=(Mn + Si)(P + Sn) x104 (in wt %), has been applied to parent steels and weld metals.
FAQ: Why use ceramic

coatings?
If J is less than or equal to 180, or if X is less than 20, the risk of temper embrittlement is considered to be low. A
limit in this form can be specified for procurement, where concerns over temper embrittlement exist. A more
general expression for embrittlement in weld metals was given by Sugiyama et al(3):
FAQ: How do you weld cast

iron?
FAQ: What is an MCrAlY
coating?
FAQ: What is the contact
angle?
FAQ: How can I weld naval
brass?
X=(10P + 5Sb + 4Sn + As)/100 (in ppm), is applied to weld metals.
P E = C + Mn + Mo + Cr/3 + Si/4 + 3.5 (10P + 5Sb + 4Sn + As)

The maximum value for this expression to avoid serious embrittlement depends on the welding process, but is given
as 2.8-3.0 where coarse grained weld metal exists.
Step cooling can reveal the susceptibility of a steel to temper embrittlement. The Charpy impact energy and
transition temperature for steel after an embrittling heat treatment involving step cooling have been related to give
a mathematical expression that when fulfilled ensures that the material will not suffer an unacceptable degree of
temper embrittlement in service (4).
FAQ: What are ceramic

adhesives?
AF + 2.5(SC - AF) < 38C

where
AF=As formed Charpy 54J temperature
SC=Step cooled Charpy 54J temperature
FAQ: What is 'chevron'

cracking?
This expression is used in the construction of pressure vessels that may operate in the embrittling temperature
range, or that may pass slowly through that temperature range upon startup or shutdown.
FAQ: Where can Barrikade

be used?
One step cooling method with hold times and temperatures is given in ASTM A387, supplementary requirements[5]
although this gives a more stringent requirement for the acceptable degree of temper embrittlement.
FAQ: What is a sandwich

structure?
Temper embrittlement has been also related to reheat cracking and low-ductility creep fractures, and a number of
types and mechanisms have been proposed, considering carbide precipitation as well as grain boundary embrittling
elements.
FAQ: What are engineering

ceramics?
References
http://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/material-faqs/faq-what-is-temper-embrittlement-and-how-can-it-be-controlled/[3/1/2016 10:53:14 AM]
FAQ: What is "matching"

weld metal?
1. Ishiguo, T; Murakami, Y; Ohnishi, K and Watanabe, J: "2.25%Cr-1%Mo pressure vessel steels with improved
creep rupture strength"; Proceedings of the symposium on Applications of 2.25%Cr-1%Mo steel for thickwall pressure vessels, ASTM STP 755, 1980, pp. 129-147.
FAQ: What is a structural

adhesive?
2. Bruscato, R. M: "Embrittlement factors for estimating temper embrittlement in 2.25Cr:1Mo, 3.5Ni-1.75Cr0.5Mo-0.1V and 3.5Ni steels"; ASTM conference, Miami, Florida, 1987.
3. Sugiyama, T; Hatori, N; Yamamoto, S; Yoshino, F and Kiuchi, A: "Temper embrittlement of Cr-Mo weld
metals"; IIW Doc. XII-E-6-81, IIW, 1981.
FAQ: How does a gel form

from a sol?
4. Erwin, W.E. and Kerr, J.G: "The use of Quenched and Tempered 2Cr-1Mo Steel for Thick Wall Reactor
Vessels in Petroleum Refinery Processes: An Interpretive review of 25 Years of Research and Application";
WRC Bulletin 275, February 1982.
FAQ: Where do I obtain ATIG Fluxes?

FAQ: Is it possible to braze
diamonds?
FAQ: What are
biocompatible adhesives?
5. ASTM A387:"Standard specification for pressure vessel plates, Alloy steel, Chromium-molybdenum"
See further information about Materials and Corrosion Management, or please contact us.

FAQ: What are
biodegradable adhesives?
FAQ: What are piezoelectric
materials?
FAQ: What are carboncarbon composites?
FAQ: What are
superconducting ceramics?
FAQ: Why are some
ceramics machineable?
FAQ: How can I easily
identify a plastic?
FAQ: What is the LarsonMiller parameter?
FAQ: Can I arc weld freemachining steels?
FAQ: Use of ceramics as
bearing materials.
FAQ: What are inorganic
ceramic adhesives?
FAQ: Which materials can
be laser drilled?
FAQ: What are pressuresensitive adhesives?
FAQ: What is the HollomanJaffe parameter?
FAQ: Do polymers undergo
changes in service?
FAQ: How many times can
a weld be re-welded?
FAQ: How can I weld
aluminium-nickel bronzes?
FAQ: What are liquid
crystal polymers (LCPs)?
FAQ: What is a thermal
barrier coating (TBC)?
FAQ: What materials can
you make with sol-gel?
FAQ: Can I weld mild steel
to high yield steel?
FAQ: How can I convert
between hardness scales?
FAQ: What is a 'fish-eye'
and how does it develop?
FAQ: What is creep
damage, and how is it
detected?
FAQ: What is porosity and
how can it be prevented?
FAQ: What types of
engineering ceramics are
there?

FAQ: Are polymeric
adhesives microwave
transparent?
FAQ: Can you use organic
adhesives to bond
ceramics?
FAQ: How can I assess the
weldability of a material?
FAQ: What determines the
creep strength of an alloy?
FAQ: What is hot cracking
(solidification cracking)?
FAQ: Is it easy to weld
titanium and titanium
alloys?
FAQ: What is meant by
wetting and how can it be
used?
FAQ: What is the best
approach for cleaning
ceramics?
FAQ: What P Number is
steel to BS (or EN or DIN)
xxx?
FAQ: What are wormholes
and how can they be
prevented?
FAQ: What is type IV
cracking, and how is it
detected?
FAQ: How is microwave
energy absorbed into an
adhesive?
FAQ: Why are microwavetransparent adhesives
important?
FAQ: How are glass,
ceramics and glassceramics defined?
FAQ: How do I select a
consumable for welding
cast iron?
post-heating and how is it
applied?
FAQ: Can I normalise a
welded C-Mn component
or structure?
FAQ: What is a sol (in the
context of sol-gel
technology)?
FAQ: What is an oxide
dispersion strengthened
(ODS) alloy?
FAQ: What is galvanic
corrosion and how can it
be avoided?
FAQ: What is meant by the

water permeability of a
polymer?
FAQ: What is the
permissible limit of Cu in
Pb-Sn solders?
FAQ: What types of metal
powder are used with
HVOF spraying?
FAQ: Are HVOF coatings an
alternative to hard chrome
plating?
FAQ: Are quenched and
tempered (Q&T) steels
readily weldable?
FAQ: Can ASME IX 'P'
Numbers be applied to
non-ASME material?
FAQ: Why is the Ca:S ratio
specified in steel
specifications?
FAQ: Why is the Ti:N ratio
specified in steel
specifications?
FAQ: What are the
implications of welding
over existing welds?
FAQ: What is the difference
between heat input and
arc energy?
FAQ: What types of carbide
powder are used with
HVOF spraying?
FAQ: Are ferritic stainless
steels susceptible to hot
cracking?
FAQ: How do you weld grey
cast iron using a MMA
(SMAW) process?
FAQ: How do you weld
malleable cast iron by MMA
(SMAW) welding?
FAQ: How reliable are
Electrically Conductive
Adhesives (ECAs)?
FAQ: What are the residual
stresses in a dissimilar
metal weld?
austenitic cast iron by MMA
(SMAW) welding?
FAQ: What is temper
embrittlement, and how
can it be controlled?
FAQ: Does titanium need
gas shielding when it is
friction welded?
FAQ: How are oxide
(ODS) alloys produced?

FAQ: What stress-strain
behaviour can I expect
adhesives to have?
FAQ: How can weld
porosity be detected and
how can it be remedied?
FAQ: How do impurities in
an adhesive affect
microwave attenuation?
FAQ: What are the different
types of cast iron which
can be welded?
What is high temperature
hydrogen attack
(HTHA)/hot hydrogen
attack?
FAQ: How do you
determine the type of cast
iron you are dealing with?
FAQ: what are TMCP
(Thermo-mechanically
Controlled Processed)
steels?
FAQ: Why are my 300
series austenitic stainless
steel welds magnetic?
FAQ: What causes porosity
in titanium welds and how
can it be avoided?
FAQ: Which thermoplastic
materials can be RF (Radio
Frequency) welded?
FAQ: Which thermoplastics
can be joined by hot bar or
impulse welding?
FAQ: Is it possible to
predict the service life of a
plastic component?
FAQ: What sort of
adhesives are used for
medical/surgical
applications?
FAQ: Can friction welding
be used to join nickel and
cobalt superalloys?
FAQ: What do the markings
mean which are stamped
on thermoplastic pipes?
FAQ: What solders can be
used to overcome gold
scavenging on a substrate?
FAQ: What treatments exist
for altering the surface
energy of a material?
FAQ: Where can I find
information regarding
porosity in aluminium
welds?
FAQ: Do degradable
plastics have a place in the
medical/healthcare sector?
FAQ: How can I

characterise the wear
resistance of thermal spray
coatings?
FAQ: Is it true that
ceramics are not always
hard, brittle and
insulating?
FAQ: What precautions
should I take when
welding aluminium and its
alloys?
spheroidal or nodular cast
iron by MMA (SMAW)
welding?
FAQ: Should steel plate be
cold straightened if it is
accidentally damaged?
FAQ: What factors affect
the choice of adhesive for
a specific application?
postweld heat treatment /
stress relief heat
treatment?
FAQ: When do I need to
use metal coatings as
opposed to polymers and
paints?
FAQ: How do I measure the
diffusible hydrogen level in
my ferritic steel weld?
FAQ: What is the
relationship between flux
moisture content and weld
hydrogen?
FAQ: What is the 'surface
energy' of a material, and
how can it be determined?
FAQ: Is it true that
adhesives have more than
one function in
microelectronics?
FAQ: What are the typical
values of surface energy
for materials and
adhesives?
FAQ: How can cracking be
avoided when welding is
used to restore tools and
dies?
FAQ: How, using simple
manual tests, can I
identify an unknown plastic
material?
FAQ: What is heat-tint and
how do I avoid it during
welding of stainless steels?
FAQ: Are TMCP (ThermoMechanically Contolled
Processing) steels readily
weldable?
FAQ: Can pickling of

stainless steel welds be
replaced by other cleaning
methods?
FAQ: What are the common
properties of oxide
(ODS) alloys?
FAQ: What are the main
industrial application areas
for sol-gel derived
materials?
FAQ: How can I
characterise the density
and porosity of the thermal
spray coatings?
FAQ: In ultrasonic welding,
which factors affect the
weldability of
thermoplastics?
FAQ: What causes crater
pipes and what will
prevent their formation
during welding?
FAQ: Can a welded repair
to a pressure vessel be
carried out without
subsequent PWHT?
FAQ: Do increased preheat
and heat input always
reduce the risk of
hydrogen cracking?
FAQ: What are low alloy
steels, and what
precautions should I take
when welding them?
FAQ: What are the
problems with laser cutting
of aluminium and how do I
overcome them?
FAQ: What is liquid metal
embrittlement and what
are common embrittling
metal couples?
FAQ: What are the
functions of the fibres and
matrix in glass reinforced
plastics (GRP)?
FAQ: What can be done to
help achieve a good colour
match when welding
aluminium alloys?
FAQ: How can I determine
the atmospheric corrosion
performance of thermal
spray coatings?
FAQ: How can I minimise
the risk of solidification
cracking in Submerged Arc
(SAW) welds?
FAQ: What are the
equivalent European and
American Standards for
common stainless steels?
FAQ: What methods of

portable hardness testing
are available and which is
most reliable?
FAQ: What are Electrically
Conductive Adhesives, how
do they work and where
are they used?
FAQ: What checks should
be carried out to assess
fire damage in a post-fire
investigation?
FAQ: What are the causes
of and solutions to the
preferential weld corrosion
in C-Mn steels?
FAQ: What materials issues
must be considered when
repairing hot section gas
turbine blades?
FAQ: What precautions do I
need to take to avoid
hydrogen cracking when
welding C-Mn steels?
FAQ: What is current
industry standard practice
for welding
supermartensitic stainless
steels?
FAQ: What is the
significance of nickel on
sulphide stress cracking in
duplex stainless steels?
FAQ: What precautions
should I take to avoid
cracking when welding
creep (heat)-resistant
steels?
FAQ: How do I remove
heat-tint formed during
welding or improper heat
treatment of stainless
steels?
FAQ: What are the factors
involved in the choice of
consumables for MMA
(SMAW) welding of cast
iron?
FAQ: What are the
microstructural
constituents Austenite,
Martensite, Bainite,
Pearlite and Ferrite?
FAQ: What are the
distinguishing
characteristics of steels
made using different
deoxidation practices?
FAQ: Are duplex and
superduplex stainless
steels fit-for-purpose
under conditions of
cathodic protection?
FAQ: Are there any
particular points to

observe when clinching
materials of dissimilar type
or thickness?
FAQ: What are the
equivalent European and
American Standards for
common stainless steel
filler materials?
FAQ: What is the origin of
embrittlement in austenitic
stainless steel welds
exposed to high
temperatures?
FAQ: What is the
relationship between
hardness, microstructure
and toughness in steel
heat affected zones?
FAQ: How might the
operating temperature
limits of austenite-ferrite
grades of stainless steel be
increased?
FAQ: If a metal or alloy has
a high thermal
conductivity, does this
make it more difficult to
friction weld?
FAQ: Is post weld heat
treatment normally
required when welding
chromium-nickel austenitic
stainless steels?
FAQ: Why does my steel
specification say that the
aluminium content must
exceed twice the nitrogen
content?
FAQ: Can I weld duplex or
superduplex stainless steel
to carbon steel and, if so,
what consumable should I
use?
FAQ: What is the difference
between the various
carbon equivalent formulae
used in relation to
hydrogen cracking?
FAQ: What is the effect of
moisture or hydrogen in
shielding gas on hydrogen
content of gas metal arc
weld metal?
FAQ: What are the causes
of and solutions to
preferential weld corrosion
in electric resistance
welded steel pipe?
FAQ: What is a
supermartensitic stainless
steel and why is it an
attractive alternative to
duplex stainless steel?
FAQ: Why are there
different types of
manganese sulphide (MnS)
inclusions, and how can I

distinguish between them?
FAQ: I have to weld a nonferrous metal. What does
non-ferrous mean, and
what things do I need to
be careful about?
FAQ: How do you weld En 5
(subsequently known as
080M30 and 1.1178
C30E), a 0.3% carbon
steel, under high restraint?
FAQ: For how long and at
what temperature should I
heat low hydrogen manual
metal arc electrodes when
baking is required?
FAQ: My Charpy
specification is in J, but my
certificate shows J/cm?;
how do I compare the
results with the
specification?
FAQ: What is controlled
deposition repair ('cold'
repair, without a
subsequent post-weld heat
treatment), and how is it
carried
FAQ: What is the procedure
for welding En16
605M36), a 0.4%C, 0.25%
Mo low alloy steel, under
high restra
for welding En17
608M38), a 0.38% C,
0.5% Mo low alloy steel,
under high restr
for welding En8
080M40 and 1.1186
C40E), a 0.4% carbon
steel, under high restr
FAQ: My duplex or
superduplex stainless steel
WPQ has failed ASTM G48
testing
for welding En9
FAQ: For duplex stainless
steel piping used in sour
service environments, are
there Standards which
provide hardness limits
dire
FAQ: What are the
requirements of ASME
Section IX for
retestingand/or retraining
of welders (and welding
operators) who fail a
FAQ: Why do the proof and
tensile strength of Nibased weld metal (used for

welding 9% Ni steels)
differ in welds deposited in
d
FAQ: Is there a restriction
on the heat input that can
be used for the welding of
TMCP (Thermomechanically Controlled
Processed
for welding En19?
for welding En24
817M40 and 1.6582
34CrNiMo6), a 0.4% C,
1.25% Cr, 0.3% Mo low
FAQ: What is the effect on
C-Mn and low alloy steels
of multiple tempering or
stress-relieving heat
treatment cycles carried
out
FAQ: How can I achieve the
specified minimum
strength and toughness
requirements for thicker
section sizes and higher
strength g
FAQ: I've got to meet NACE
Rockwell C hardness limits
for duplex stainless steel
welds but hardness was
measured using the Vicke
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What is temper embrittlement, and how can it be controlled?

FAQ: How is Barrikade

FAQ: What is Charpy

FAQ: What are

FAQ: Why use ceramic

FAQ: How do you weld cast

X=(10P + 5Sb + 4Sn + As)/100 (in ppm), is applied to weld metals.

P E = C + Mn + Mo + Cr/3 + Si/4 + 3.5 (10P + 5Sb + 4Sn + As)

FAQ: What are ceramic

AF + 2.5(SC - AF) < 38C

FAQ: What is 'chevron'

FAQ: Where can Barrikade

FAQ: What is a sandwich

FAQ: What are engineering

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