EFFECT OF HYDROGEN AND HYDRIDE MORPHOLOGY ON THE TENSILE PROPERTIES OF ZIRCALOY-2

Technical Report · Fri Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4085236

Babyak, W J; Bourgeois, W F; Salvaggio, G J

The effects of both hydrogen concentration and hydride morphology on the tensile properties of both alphaannealed and beta-quenched Zircaloy-2 were experimentally determined at room temperature and at 500 deg F in order to assess the critical hydrogen level that would limit the useful lifetime of Zircaloy-2 in pressurized water reactors. Three hydrogen levels, approximately 15, 275, and 550 ppm, with the precipitated hydride either predominantly at grain boundaries or uniformly distributed within the grains, were investigated. Based on a comparison of the tensile strength of notched and unnotched specimens and an evaluation of the ductility values, the limiting hydrogen content of Zircaloy with grain boundary hydrides is 250 ppm. In general, the deleterious effects of hydrogen are less pronounced when the hydrides are uniformly distributed; therefore, under these conditions the limit can be extended to greater than 250 ppm. (auth)

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp. Bettis Atomic Power Lab., Pittsburgh
• DOE Contract Number: AT(11-1)-GEN-14
• NSA Number: NSA-18-014480
• OSTI ID: 4085236
• Report Number(s): WAPD-275
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ANNEALING
DISTRIBUTION
DUCTILITY
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
HEAT TREATMENTS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
PRECIPITATION
PRESSURE
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
REACTORS
TEMPERATURE
TENSILE PROPERTIES
TESTING
WATER
ZIRCALOY