The microstructure effects on irradiation response of ferritic – martensitic steels

Zhong, Weicheng; Tan, Lizhen

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.154990

The microstructure effects on irradiation response of ferritic – martensitic steels

Journal Article · Mon Feb 26 23:00:00 EST 2024 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.154990· OSTI ID:2438995

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Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Microstructural optimization to achieve greater mechanical strength has been one of the focuses in ferritic–martensitic steels development. However, these optimized microstructures’ effects on the radiation response are not well known. In this work, two ferritic–martensitic steels (9Cr-NbMo and 9Cr-Ta) underwent neutron irradiation in the High Flux Isotope Reactor, and their room-temperature post-irradiation tensile properties and microstructure evolutions were investigated and compared. These two steels exhibit similar pre-irradiation tensile behavior, and their yield strengths are higher than that of other ferritic–martensitic steels by about 200–250 MPa. Microstructural characterization on pre-irradiated materials reveals a smaller grain size in 9Cr-Ta (2.8 ± 0.3 μm in 9Cr-Ta versus 4.3 ± 0.5 μm in 9Cr-NbMo) but higher dislocation density and precipitate density in 9Cr-NbMo. As is common for ferritic–martensitic steels at low irradiation temperatures (less than about 0.45T_m), irradiation-induced hardening at 400 °C was observed for both alloys. Irradiation at 490 °C causes the two alloys to exhibit different tensile behavior: 9Cr-Ta softens by 208 MPa in yield stress, whereas 9Cr-NbMo maintains strength. Additionally, microstructural characterizations were performed, including precipitate growth, dislocation, and defect formation. Using the barrier hardening model for microstructure–property correlation, the softening in irradiated 9Cr-Ta is primarily attributed to the significant dislocation recovery, while the strength lost from the slight dislocation recovery in 9Cr-NbMo was compensated by the additional strength from the irradiation-induced cavities. The microstructure effect (primarily precipitate, dislocation and boundary) on the radiation response is discussed herein.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES); USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 2438995

Journal Information:: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Vol. 593; ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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