In this study, the microstructures and mechanical properties of X70 pipeline steels produced with varying Mo contents, accelerated cooling rate and intermediate slab blank thickness are systematically investigated. Results showed that the microstructures and mechanical properties of the X70 pipeline steels were strongly affected by Mo addition. The pearlite and proeutectoid ferrite formation is obviously inhibited in containing-Mo steel and the acicular ferrite (AF) is obtained in a wide range of cooling rates. With the increasing the cooling rates, the AF constituent amount increases. The grains can be refined by increasing the thickness of intermediate slab for enhancing the cumulative reduction rates, and meanwhile increase the number density of precipitates. It was proved by simulation and industrial trials that the low-alloy X70 pipeline steels can be produced increasing cooling rates and the thickness of intermediate slab without strength and toughness degradation which also reduce alloy cost.

A mode-locked Tm3+-doped fibre laser and amplifier operating at a central wavelength of 1994.3 nm is demonstrated. A thulium oscillator is passively mode-locked by a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror to generate an average power of 17 mW at a fundamental repetition rate of 81 MHz in a short linear cavity. This 2-µm laser train is amplified to an average power to 20.26 W by two double-clad thulium-doped allfibre amplifiers. The pulse energy, duration and peak power is 250 nJ, 23 ps and 9.57 kW, respectively. This represents one of the highest values of average power at ∼ 2-µm-wavelength for picosecond thulium-doped fibre lasers and amplifiers. The performance of the laser system is described in details.