Improving the fracture resistance of irradiated martensitic steels

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5738840

Huang, F H

Martensitic steels find application in fast breeder reactors mainly because of their excellent resistance to radiation-induced swelling and creep, but the fracture resistance of the material under neutron irradiation also needs to be assessed. These steels undergo a change in the fracture mode from ductile dimple rupture to brittle cleavage as temperature decreases. Neutron exposure can raise the ductile-brittle transition temperature and produce a condition a low toughness during service. This study examines the effects of cold-work, heat treatment, and chromium content on the postirradiation fracture behavior of selected steels to provide a better understanding of fracture resistance in hopes of improving it. Experimental materials included alloy HT9 containing 12 percent Cr, a vacuum remelt of HT9, modified HT9 containing 10 percent Cr, and 9Cr-1MO. The initiation fracture toughness of irradiated martensitic steels increased with increasing chromium content and tempering temperature. Remelting of HT9 slightly raised the fracture toughness of the irradiated materials. Cold work did not improve the fracture resistance of irradiated ferritic steels as it did for austenitic steels.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-87RL10930
• OSTI ID: 5738840
• Report Number(s): WHC-SA-1432; CONF-920673--2; ON: DE92008387
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210500 -- Power Reactors
Breeding
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103 -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
360106* -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
ALLOY-HT-9
ALLOYS
CHROMIUM
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM STEELS
CHROMIUM-MOLYBDENUM STEELS
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
DUCTILE-BRITTLE TRANSITIONS
ELEMENTS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FAST REACTORS
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
HIGH ALLOY STEELS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
IRRADIATION
MARTENSITIC STEELS
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALLURGICAL EFFECTS
METALS
MOLYBDEN
MOLYBDENUM ADDITIONS
NEUTRON FLUENCE
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
STAINLESS STEELS
STEEL-CR12MOV
STEELS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS