Are there temperature limits, low and high, on the use of duplex stainless steels?
The toughness of the duplex stainless steel mill plate does not undergo an abrupt ductile-brittle transition. Rather it decreases gradually from its high shelf energy to a very low impact energy as temperature decreases from about ambient to temperatures in the range of -45 to -75° C (-50 to -100° F). So the minimum application temperature is determined in accordance with the tough of the duplex stainless steel. To date, there have been few applications with minimum design metal temperature below -40° C (-40° F). The maximum temperature for ASME Code applications is 315° C (600° F). The temperature was chosen because it represents the lowest temperature for the transformation curve for 475° C (885° F) embrittlement. Below that temperature, the steel will not be embrittled by this reaction in many years of exposure. In non-Code applications, it would be possible to consider use of 2205 in applications where there are limited excursions in the range just slightly above the limiting tempe
