High energy X-ray diffraction study of the relationship between the macroscopic mechanical properties and microstructure of irradiated HT-9 steel

Journal Article · Fri Mar 25 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.03.023· OSTI ID:1457236

Tomchik, C. ^[1]; Almer, J. ^[2]; Anderoglu, O. ^[3]; Balogh, L. ^[4]; Brown, Donald William  ^[3]; Clausen, Bjorn  ^[3]; Maloy, Stuart Andrew  ^[3]; Sisneros, Thomas A. ^[3]; Stubbins, J. F. ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States)
2. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
3. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
4. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Queen's Univ., Kingston, ON (Canada)

Samples harvested from an HT-9 fuel test assembly (ACO-3) irradiated for six years in the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) reaching 2–147 dpa at 382–504°C were deformed in-situ while collecting high-energy X-ray diffraction data to monitor microstructure evolution. With the initiation of plastic deformation, all samples exhibited a clear load transfer from the ferrite matrix to carbide particulate. This behavior was confirmed by modeling of the control material. The evolution of dislocation density in the material as a result of deformation was characterized through full pattern line profile analysis. The dislocation densities increased substantially after deformation, the level of dislocation evolution observed was highly dependent upon the irradiation temperature of the sample. The differences in both the yield and hardening behavior between samples irradiated at higher and lower temperatures suggest the existence of a transition in tensile behavior at an irradiation temperature near 420°C dividing regions of distinct damage effects.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities Division; USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396; AC02-06CH11357; 485363-973000-191100
• OSTI ID: 1457236
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1341163
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-15-22913; TRN: US1901321
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 475, Issue C; ISSN 0022-3115
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
42 ENGINEERING
Ferritic martensitic steel
HT-9In-situ tensile test
High-energy X-ray diffraction
Lattice strain
Irradiation embrittlement