Effects of neutron irradiation to 63 dpa on the properties of various commercial copper alloys

Technical Report · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5556076· OSTI ID:5556076

Brager, H. R. ^[1]

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1. Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (USA)

The objective of this effort is to determine the effect of high neutron fluence on the properties of high purity copper and of a range of conventional commercial high-conductivity, high-strength, copper-base alloys. High purity copper and six commercial copper alloys were neutron irradiated to 47 and 63 dpa at about 450{degree}C in the FFTF. Immersion density measurements showed a wide range of swelling behavior after irradiation to 63 dpa. At one extreme was CuBe in the aged and tempered (AT) condition which had densified slightly. At the other extreme was 20% CW Cu--0.1% Ag which swelled over 45%. Electrical resistivity measurements of high-conductivity alloys followed trends similar to previously published results for the same alloys irradiated to 16 dpa, namely a continued reduction in conductivity with fluence which appears to relate to transmutation products and, somewhat, to void formation and defect cluster development. The reduction was to a value comparable with that of the irradiated Cu--Al25 --- the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} dispersion strengthened alloy. Conversely, for the moderate conductivity alloy CuBe, the electrical conductivity was unaffected for irradiation greater than 16 dpa. These results of the irradiated material were compared with electrical conductivity of unirradiated alloys examined after aging for 10,000 hours. 6 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/NE
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-87RL10930
• OSTI ID: 5556076
• Report Number(s): HEDL-7639; ON: DE90001131
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103 -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
360106* -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
BERYLLIUM ALLOYS
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER
COPPER ALLOYS
COPPER BASE ALLOYS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
IRRADIATION
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
NEUTRON FLUENCE
NICKEL ALLOYS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SWELLING
TENSILE PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS