Laves intermetallics in stainless steel-zirconium alloys

Technical Report · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/481605· OSTI ID:481605

Abraham, D P; McDeavitt, S M; Richardson, Jr, J W

Laves intermetallics have a significant effect on properties of metal waste forms being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. These waste forms are stainless steel-zirconium alloys that will contain radioactive metal isotopes isolated from spent nuclear fuel by electrometallurgical treatment. The baseline waste form composition for stainless steel-clad fuels is stainless steel-15 wt.% zirconium (SS-15Zr). This article presents results of neutron diffraction measurements, heat-treatment studies and mechanical testing on SS-15Zr alloys. The Laves intermetallics in these alloys, labeled Zr(Fe,Cr,Ni){sub 2+x}, have both C36 and C15 crystal structures. A fraction of these intermetallics transform into (Fe,Cr,Ni){sub 23}Zr{sub 6} during high-temperature annealing; the authors have proposed a mechanism for this transformation. The SS-15Zr alloys show virtually no elongation in uniaxial tension, but exhibit good strength and ductility in compression tests. This article also presents neutron diffraction and microstructural data for a stainless steel-42 wt.% zirconium (SS-42Zr) alloy.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 481605
• Report Number(s): ANL/CMT/CP--91091; CONF-970455--3; ON: DE97052987
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTAL-PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
LAVES PHASES
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MICROSTRUCTURE
PHASE STUDIES
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
STAINLESS STEELS
WASTE FORMS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS