Small-angle polarized neutron scattering study of the mesostructure of phase precipitates in the steel P91 after heat treatment

This paper reports on the results of the analysis of the mesostructure of phase precipitates formed in the steel P91 during heat treatment in the temperature range of 600–820$^\circ$C after quenching at 1050$^\circ$C for 30 min. Measurements have been performed by the small-angle polarized neutron scattering (SAPNS) method with the separation of nuclear-magnetic interference scattering. The characteristic sizes of the phases precipitated during heat treatment have been determined to be in the range of 150–450 $\mathring{\mathrm{A}}$. It has been demonstrated that the method is highly effective for solving problems of this class, which is based on the possibility to separate and investigate nuclear-magnetic contrast scattering against the background of the total nuclear and magnetic small-angle scattering.