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Compatibility of Fe--2$sup 1$$/$$sub 4$ wt % Cr--1 wt % Mo steel in a sodium environment

Journal Article · · Nucl. Technol., v. 28, no. 3, pp. 441-451
OSTI ID:4055240

Kinetics of decarburization of Fe--2$sup 1$$/$$sub 4$ wt percent Cr--1 wt percent Mo steel in a sodium environment has been studied at temperatures between 480 and 650$sup 0$C in the normalized and normalized-tempered conditions. Carbon concentration-distance profiles were obtained as a function of sodium exposure time and decarburization rate constants were evaluated. It was found that the heat treatment of the steel had no effect on the decarburization behavior at 650$sup 0$C; however, at lower temperatures, the normalized steel was found to decarburize significantly faster than the steel in the normalized-tempered condition. Microstructural examinations of specimens exposed at 650$sup 0$C revealed that M$sub 6$C was the stable carbide, and the transformation of M$sub 23$$C$$sub 6$ to M$sub 6$C was accelerated by the decarburization process. In specimens exposed at 480$sup 0$C, the stable carbides were found to be M$sub 7$$C$$sub 3$. Fe$sub 3$C, and M$sub 2$C. The results also showed that the steel would decarburize to a certain carbon level that corresponds to a stable carbide structure at each temperature, and any additional decarburization will be controlled by the dissolution rate of the carbide phases in the ferrite matrix. (auth)

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL
NSA Number:
NSA-33-028044
OSTI ID:
4055240
Journal Information:
Nucl. Technol., v. 28, no. 3, pp. 441-451, Journal Name: Nucl. Technol., v. 28, no. 3, pp. 441-451; ISSN NUTYB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English