Mechanical property changes and microstructures of dispersion-strengthened copper alloys after neutron irradiation at 411, 414, and 529 degree C

Conference · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:6298647

Anderson, K R; Stubbins, J F ^[1]; Garner, F A; Hamilton, M L ^[2]

---

1. Illinois Univ., Urbana, IL (USA)
2. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)

Dispersion strengthened copper alloys have shown promise for certain high heat flux applications in both near term and long term fusion devices. This study examines mechanical properties changes and microstructural evolution in several oxide dispersion strengthened alloys which were subjected to high levels of irradiation-induced displacement damage. Irradiations were carried out in FFTF to 34 and 50 dpa at 411--414{degree}C and 32 dpa at 529{degree}C. The alloys include several oxide dispersion-strengthened alloys based on the Cu-Al system, as well as ones based on the Cu-Cr and Cu-Hf systems. Of this group, certain of the Cu-Al alloys, those produced by an internal oxidation technique to contain alumina weight fractions of 0.15 to 0.25% outperformed the other alloys in all respects. These alloys, designated CuAl15, CuAl20, and CuAl25, were found to be resistant to void swelling up to 50 dpa at 414{degree}C, and to retain their superior mechanical and physical properties after extended irradiation. The major factor which controls the stability during irradiation was found to be the dispersoid volume fraction and distribution. The other alloys examined were less resistant to radiation-induced properties changes for a variety of reasons. Some of these include dispersoid redistribution by ballistic resolution, effects of retained dissolved oxygen, and non-uniformity of dispersion distribution. The effect of laser welding was also examined. This joining technique was found to be unacceptable since it destroys the dispersoid distribution and thereby the resistance of the alloys to radiation-induced damage.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6298647
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-17555; CONF-900623--23; ON: DE91005518
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360106 -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700209* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Component Development & Materials Testing
ALLOYS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHROMIUM COMPOUNDS
CHROMIUM OXIDES
COPPER ALLOYS
COPPER BASE ALLOYS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DAMAGING NEUTRON FLUENCE
DISPERSION HARDENING
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
FABRICATION
FAST REACTORS
FFTF REACTOR
HAFNIUM COMPOUNDS
HAFNIUM OXIDES
HARDENING
JOINING
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MICROSTRUCTURE
NEUTRON FLUENCE
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTORS
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
SODIUM COOLED REACTORS
SWELLING
TENSILE PROPERTIES
TEST REACTORS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR MATERIALS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WELDING