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Title: Tensile and charpy impact properties of irradiated reduced-activation ferritic steels

Abstract

Tensile tests were conducted on eight reduced-activation Cr-W steels after irradiation to 15-17 and 26-29 dpa, and Charpy impact tests were conducted on the steels irradiated to 26-29 dpa. Irradiation was in the Fast Flux Test Facility at 365{degrees}C on steels containing 2.25-12% Cr, varying amounts of W, V, and Ta, and 0.1%C. Previously, tensile specimens were irradiated to 6-8 dpa and Charpy specimens to 6-8, 15-17, and 20-24 dpa. Tensile and Charpy specimens were also thermally aged to 20000 h at 365{degrees}C. Thermal aging had little effect on the tensile behavior or the ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT), but several steels showed a slight increase in the upper-shelf energy (USE). After {approx}7 dpa, the strength of the steels increased and then remained relatively unchanged through 26-29 dpa (i.e., the strength saturated with fluence). Post-irradiation Charpy impact tests after 26-29 dpa showed that the loss of impact toughness, as measured by an increase in DBTT and a decrease in the USE, remained relatively unchanged from the values after 20-24 dpa, which had been relatively unchanged from the earlier irradiations. As before, the two 9Cr steels were the most irradiation resistant.

Authors:
;  [1]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
414868
Report Number(s):
DOE/ER-0313/20
ON: DE97000700; TRN: 97:001387
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: Oct 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Fusion materials semiannual progress report for the period ending June 30, 1996; PB: 358 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION; FERRITIC STEELS; TENSILE PROPERTIES; PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS; CHROMIUM ALLOYS; TUNGSTEN ALLOYS; PROGRESS REPORT; VANADIUM ADDITIONS; CHARPY TEST; NEUTRONS

Citation Formats

Klueh, R.L., and Alexander, D.J.. Tensile and charpy impact properties of irradiated reduced-activation ferritic steels. United States: N. p., 1996. Web. doi:10.2172/414868.
Klueh, R.L., & Alexander, D.J.. Tensile and charpy impact properties of irradiated reduced-activation ferritic steels. United States. doi:10.2172/414868.
Klueh, R.L., and Alexander, D.J.. Tue . "Tensile and charpy impact properties of irradiated reduced-activation ferritic steels". United States. doi:10.2172/414868. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/414868.
@article{osti_414868,
title = {Tensile and charpy impact properties of irradiated reduced-activation ferritic steels},
author = {Klueh, R.L. and Alexander, D.J.},
abstractNote = {Tensile tests were conducted on eight reduced-activation Cr-W steels after irradiation to 15-17 and 26-29 dpa, and Charpy impact tests were conducted on the steels irradiated to 26-29 dpa. Irradiation was in the Fast Flux Test Facility at 365{degrees}C on steels containing 2.25-12% Cr, varying amounts of W, V, and Ta, and 0.1%C. Previously, tensile specimens were irradiated to 6-8 dpa and Charpy specimens to 6-8, 15-17, and 20-24 dpa. Tensile and Charpy specimens were also thermally aged to 20000 h at 365{degrees}C. Thermal aging had little effect on the tensile behavior or the ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT), but several steels showed a slight increase in the upper-shelf energy (USE). After {approx}7 dpa, the strength of the steels increased and then remained relatively unchanged through 26-29 dpa (i.e., the strength saturated with fluence). Post-irradiation Charpy impact tests after 26-29 dpa showed that the loss of impact toughness, as measured by an increase in DBTT and a decrease in the USE, remained relatively unchanged from the values after 20-24 dpa, which had been relatively unchanged from the earlier irradiations. As before, the two 9Cr steels were the most irradiation resistant.},
doi = {10.2172/414868},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996},
month = {Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996}
}

Technical Report:

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  • Tensile tests were conducted on 8 reduced-activation Cr-W steels after irradiation to 15-17 and 26-29 dpa, and Charpy impact tests were conducted on steels irradiated to 26-29 dpa. Irradiation was in Fast Flux Test Facility at 365 C on steels containing 2.25-12% Cr, varying amounts of W, V, and Ta, and 0.1%C. Previously, tensile specimens were irradiated to 6-8 dpa and Charpy specimens to 6-8, 15- 17, and 20-24 dpa. Tensile and Charpy specimens were also thermally aged to 20,000 h at 365 C. Thermal aging had little effect on tensile properties or ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT), but several steelsmore » showed a slight increase in upper-shelf energy (USE). After 7 dpa, strength increased (hardened) and then remained relatively unchanged through 26-29 dpa (ie, strength saturated with fluence). Post-irradiation Charpy impact tests after 26-29 dpa showed that the loss of impact toughness (increased DBTT, decreased USE) remained relatively unchanged from the values after 20-24 dpa, which had been relatively unchanged from the earlier irradiations. As before, the two 9Cr steels had the most irradiation resistance.« less
  • The effects of irradiation up to 20 dpa on the Charpy impact properties of reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels (RAFs) were investigated. The ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) of F82H-IEA shifted up to around 323K. TIG weldments of F82H showed a fairly small variation on their impact properties. A finer prior austenite grain size in F82H-IEA after a different heat treatment resulted in a 20K lower DBTT compared to F82H-IEA after the standard heat treatment, and that effect was maintained even after irradiation. Helium effects were investigated utilizing Ni-doped F82H, but no obvious evidence of helium effects was obtained. ORNL9Cr-2WVTa and JLF-1 steelsmore » showed smaller DBTT shifts compared to F82H-IEA.« less
  • Charpy tests were conducted on eight normalized-and-tempered reduced-activation ferritic steels irradiated in two different normalized conditions. Irradiation was conducted in the Fast Flux Test Facility at 393 C to {approx}14 dpa on steels with 2.25, 5, 9, and 12% Cr (0.1% C) with varying amounts of W, V, and Ta. The different normalization treatments involved changing the cooling rate after austenitization. The faster cooling rate produced 100% bainite in the 2.25 Cr steels, compared to duplex structures of bainite and polygonal ferrite for the slower cooling rate. For both cooling rates, martensite formed in the 5 and 9% Cr steels,more » and martensite with {approx}25% {delta}-ferrite formed in the 12% Cr steel. Irradiation caused an increase in the ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) and a decrease in the upper-shelf energy. The difference in microstructure in the low-chromium steels due to the different heat treatments had little effect on properties. For the high-chromium martensitic steels, only the 5 Cr steel was affected by heat treatment. When the results at 393 C were compared with previous results at 365 C, all but a 5 Cr and a 9 Cr steel showed the expected decrease in the shift in DBTT with increasing temperature.« less
  • Reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel, F-82H (Fe-8Cr-2W-V-Ta), was irradiated in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) to doses between 11 and 34 dpa at 400 and 500 C. Post irradiation tensile tests were performed at the nominal irradiation temperature in vacuum. Some specimens included {sup 10}B or natural boron (nB) to estimate the helium effect on tensile properties. Tensile properties including the 0.2% offset yield stress, the ultimate tensile strength, the uniform elongation and the total elongation were measured. The tensile properties were not dependent on helium content in specimens irradiated to 34 dpa, however {sup 10}B-doped specimens with the highestmore » levels of helium showed slightly higher yield strength and less ductility than boron-free specimens. Strength appears to go through a peak, and ductility through a trough at about 11 dpa. The irradiation to more than 21 dpa reduced the strength and increased the elongation to the unirradiated levels. Ferritic steels are one of the candidate alloys for nuclear fusion reactors because of their good thermophysical properties, their superior swelling resistance, and the low corrosion rate in contact with potential breeder and coolant materials.« less
  • Fractographic examinations are reported for a series of reduced activation ferritic/Martensitic steel Charpy impact specimens tested following irradiation to 30 dpa at 370{degrees}C in FFTF. One-third size specimens of six low activation steels developed for potential application as structural materials in fusion reactors were examined. A shift in brittle fracture appearance from cleavage to grain boundary failure was noted with increasing manganese content. The results are interpreted in light of transmutation induced composition changes in a fusion environment.