THE EFFECTS OF COLD WORK AND NEUTRON IRRADIATION ON THE TENSILE PROPERTIES OF ZIRCALOY-2
Neutron irradiations at 300 deg C were conducted on Zircaloy-2 tensile specimens in a hot-water loop of the Engneering Test Reactor. The tensile specimens contained 0, 20, and 40% cold work prior to irradiation and represented both the transverse and longitudinal directions with respect to rolling. Tensile data were obtained both at room temperature and 300 deg C for specimens irradiated to exposures up to 10/sup 21/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/ (fast). These data are compared to control data from hot-water loop exposures that simulate the in- reactor environment except for the neutron flux. Unirradiated Zircaloy-2 displays marked directional effects in both strength and ductility. This anisotropy results from the preierred orientations introduced by either cold rolling or recrystallization and the effects of these orientations on deformation processes. Directional effects persist after irradiation. With combinations of cold work and stress direction for which plastic deformation is non-homogeneous, irradiation hardening can greatly increase anisotrop) in mechanical properties. For example, the uniform strain of annealed Zircaloy-2 stressed in the transverse direction is reduced to less than 1% with exposures as low as 10/sup 20/ neutrons/ cm/sup 2/. After a similar exposure longitudinal specimens display more than 5% uniform strain. There is evidence that thermal cold work recovery occurs during neutron irradiation due, perhaps, to interactions between dislocations and irradiation-induced defects. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AT(45-1)-1350
- NSA Number:
- NSA-17-029375
- OSTI ID:
- 4693974
- Report Number(s):
- HW-SA-3012
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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EFFECT OF NEUTRON IRRADIATION ON THE ROOM TEMPERATURE TENSILE PROPERTIES OF ZIRCALOY-3
THE EFFECT OF COLD WORK ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND ITS RECOVERY IN ZIRCALOY-2
Related Subjects
ANNEALING
COLD WORKING
CONTROL
CRYSTALLIZATION
DEFECTS
DEFORMATION
DISLOCATIONS
DUCTILITY
IN PILE LOOPS
IRRADIATION
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
NEUTRON BEAMS
REACTORS
RECOVERY
RECRYSTALLIZATION
STRAIN
STRESSES
TEMPERATURE
TENSILE PROPERTIES
TESTING
WATER
ZIRCALOY