简介：Themicrostructuresandprecipitatesinbasemetalsandheataffectedzones(HAZs)oftwoZr-Bmicroalloyedsteelswerecharacterizedbymeansofopticalmicroscopy(OM),transmissionelectronmicroscopy(TEM)andenergydispersivespectrum(EDS).Ithasbeenfoundthatprecipitatesoftensofnanometersinsizearepresentinthebasemetalsofbothsteels.Theaverageparticlesize,however,intheZr-BsteelwithTiislargerthanthatinthesteelwithoutTi.Afterthermalsimulations,inbothcases,theMnSsulfidescannucleateoncubic(Nb,Ti)(C,N)carbonitridesandnearlysphericalZr-bearingcompounds.TheprecipitatesintheHAZsofbothsteelsarecoarserthanthoseinthebasemetals,intherangesof150-200nmand50-100nmforTiaddedandTi-freesteels,respectively.