DEVELOPMENT OF NIOBIUM-BASE ALLOYS FOR USE IN A NUCLEAR SUPERHEATER

Technical Report · Thu Jun 27 00:00:00 UTC 1963

OSTI ID:4635135

DeMastry, J A; Berry, W E; Bauer, A A; Rough, F A

Niobium-base alloys containing additions of aluminum. chromium, iron, molybdenum, titanium, vanadium, and zirconium were prepared by arc melting and evaluated for corrosion resistance in the cold-worked (90 per cent reduction) and annealed (1 hr at 1200 deg C) conditions by autoclave tests in 1500-psi steam at 540 deg C. Additions of aluminum, iron, molybdenum, and zirconium were detrimental, in the amounts studied, to corrosion resistance while chromium. titanium, and vanadium were beneficial. In addition, the alloys generally showed better resistance to steam corrosion when tested in the cold-worked condition. A family of alloys containing additions of 18 to 24 at.% titanium, 12 to 18 at.% vanadium, and 9 to 12 at.% chromium to niobium exhibited good resistance to 540 deg C steam. A corrosion feature unique to this family of alloys was the formation of an adherent shiny, bluish-black oxide film. In 189 days of exposure to 540 deg C steam, specimens of one of the alloys, niobium-21 at.% titanium-12 at.% vanadium-9 at.% chromium, underwent a weight gain of 227 mg per dm/sup 2/. (auth)

• Research Organization: Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, Ohio
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-92
• NSA Number: NSA-17-036221
• OSTI ID: 4635135
• Report Number(s): BMI-1636; EURAEC-744
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM ALLOYS
ANNEALING
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
COLD WORKING
COLOR
CORROSION
ELECTRIC ARCS
FILMS
IRON ALLOYS
MATERIALS TESTING
MELTING
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
OXIDES
PREPARATION
PRESSURE VESSELS
STABILITY
STEAM
SUPERHEATING
TEMPERATURE
TITANIUM ALLOYS
USES
VANADIUM ALLOYS
VARIATIONS
WEIGHT
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS