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Microstructural and material property changes in severely deformed Eurofer-97

Journal Article · · Materials Characterization
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [1];  [4];  [1];  [5];  [6];  [6];  [6];  [6];  [1];  [1]
  1. Univ. of Oxford (United Kingdom)
  2. Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute (China)
  3. Eotvos University, Budapest (Hungary)
  4. Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
  5. Univ. of Helsinki (Finland)
  6. Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Oxford (United Kingdom). Diamond Light Source, Ltd.
Severe plastic deformation changes the microstructure and properties of steels, which may be favourable for their use in structural components of nuclear reactors. In this study, high-pressure torsion (HPT) was used to refine the grain structure of Eurofer-97, a ferritic/martensitic steel. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction were used to characterise the microstructural changes. Following HPT at room temperature to a maximum shear strain of 230, the average grain size reduced by a factor of ~30, with a marked increase in high-angle grain boundaries. Dislocation density also increased by more than one order of magnitude. The thermal stability of the deformed material was investigated via in-situ annealing during synchrotron X-ray diffraction. This revealed substantial recovery between 450 K – 800 K. Irradiation with 20 MeV Fe-ions to ~0.1 dpa caused a 20% reduction in dislocation density compared to the as-deformed material. However, HPT deformation prior to irradiation only had a minor effect in mitigating the irradiation-induced reductions in thermal diffusivity and surface acoustic wave velocity of the material. Microstructural and material property changes are dominated by deformation compared to irradiation. In light of this, the benefits of using HPT to improve the irradiation resistance of Eurofer-97 are limited. These results provide a multi-faceted view of the changes in ferritic/martensitic steels due to severe plastic deformation, and how these changes can be used to alter material properties.
Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC); Henry Royce Institute; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012704
OSTI ID:
2407551
Report Number(s):
BNL--225857-2024-JAAM
Journal Information:
Materials Characterization, Journal Name: Materials Characterization Vol. 215; ISSN 1044-5803
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Figures / Tables (19)