Phase evolution during neutron irradiation of commercial Fe-Cr-Mn alloys

Conference · Fri Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(91)90166-5· OSTI ID:5243270

McCarthy, J. M.; Garner, F. A.

Earlier irradiation studies on simple Fe-Mn and Fe-Cr-Mn alloys in the annealed condition showed that these alloys exhibited a higher level of phase instability than do comparable Fe-Cr-Ni alloys. Contributing to this instability was the tendency of iron to segregate at microstructural sinks due to the operation of the inverse Kirkendall effect. This segregation, combined with the addition of various solutes and the application of typical thermomechanical treatments to produce the commercial alloys, added complexity to the phase evolution of Fe-Cr-Mn alloys. This complexity included the intergranular and intragranular precipitation of M{sub 23}C{sub 6} carbide, alpha ferrite, and sigma. These phases can have detrimental effects on mechanical and corrosion properties. Provided that the phase transformations to sigma and carbides can be controlled, the commercial austenitic Fe-Cr-Mn alloys appear to be suitable starting compositions for the development of low activation alloys for service in fusion reactors. 9 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5243270
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-16980; CONF-891204--9; ON: DE90004113
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360102 -- Metals & Alloys-- Structure & Phase Studies
360106 -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700209* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Component Development & Materials Testing
ALLOYS
AUSTENITIC STEELS
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
IRRADIATION
MANGANESE ALLOYS
MATERIALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
PHASE STABILITY
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PRECIPITATION
RADIATION EFFECTS
SEGREGATION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
STABILITY
STEELS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR MATERIALS