Effect of neutron irradiation on vanadium alloys

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6073097

Braski, D N

Neutron-irradiated vanadium alloys were evaluated for their susceptibility to irradiation hardening, helium embrittlement, swelling, and residual radioactivity, and the results were compared with those for the austenitic and ferritic stainless steels. The VANSTAR-7 and V-15Cr-5Ti alloys showed the greatest hardening between 400 and 600/sup 0/C while V-3Ti-1Si and V-20Ti had lower values that were comparable to those of ferritic steels. The V-15Cr-5Ti and VANSTAR-7 alloys were susceptible to helium embrittlement caused by the combination of weakened grain boundaries and irradiation-hardened grain matrices. Specimen fractures were entirely intergranular in the most severe instances of embrittlement. The V-3Ti-1Si and V-20Ti alloys were more resistant to helium embrittlement. Except for VANSTAR-7 irradiated to 40 dpa at 520/sup 0/C, all of the vanadium alloys exhibited low swelling that was similar to the ferritic steels. Swelling was greater in specimens that were preimplanted with helium using the tritium trick. The vanadium alloys clearly exhibit lower residual radioactivity after irradiation than the ferrous alloys.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6073097
• Report Number(s): CONF-860421-18; ON: DE86009156
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
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ALLOYS
BARYON REACTIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
ELEMENTS
EMBRITTLEMENT
FLUIDS
GASES
HADRON REACTIONS
HARDENING
HELIUM
HIGH TEMPERATURE
NEUTRON REACTIONS
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON REACTIONS
RARE GASES
SILICON ADDITIONS
SILICON ALLOYS
SWELLING
TITANIUM ALLOYS
VANADIUM ALLOYS
VANADIUM BASE ALLOYS