Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM
The efficiency of conventional power stations can be increased through the use of new heat and corrosion resistant steels that are able to withstand higher temperatures and steam pressures. Steels with a high chrome content are made more resistant to fracture and creep by aiming for a microstructural design with Z phase precipitation. At the IWM, we investigate the formation of these nitrides using a multi-scale approach that combines atomistic simulations and thermodynamic modeling. This furthers our understanding of the reinforcing mechanisms and enables us to predict material fatigue.