The influence of helium on mechanical properties of model austenitic alloys, determined using sup 59 Ni isotopic tailoring and fast reactor irradiation

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6344602· OSTI ID:6344602

Hamilton, M L; Garner, F A ^[1]; Oliver, B M ^[2]

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1. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
2. Rockwell International Corp., Canoga Park, CA (USA)

The objective of this effort is to study the separate and synergistic effects of helium and other important variables on the evolution of microstructure and macroscopic properties during irradiation of structural metals. The alloys employed in this study were nominally Fe-15Cr-25Ni, Fe-15Cr-25Ni-0.04P and Fe-15Cr-45Ni (wt %) in both the cold worked and annealed conditions. Tensile testing and microscopy continue on specimens removed from the first, second and third discharges of the {sup 59}Ni isotopic doping experiment. The results to date indicate that helium/dpa ratios typical of fusion reactors (4 to 19 appm/dpa) do not lead to significant changes in the yield strength of model Fe-Cr-Ni alloys. Measurements of helium generated in undoped specimens from the second and third discharges show that the helium/dpa ratio increases during irradiation in FFTF due to the production of {sup 59}Ni. In specimens doped with {sup 59}Ni prior to irradiation, the helium/dpa ratio can increase, decrease or remain the same during the second irradiation interval. This behavior occurs because the cross sections for the production and burnout of {sup 59}Ni are very sensitive to core location and the nature of neighboring components. 14 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6344602
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-18857; ON: DE91004891; TRN: 91-001011
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
YIELD STRENGTH
IRON BASE ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
DOPED MATERIALS
FFTF REACTOR
HELIUM
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MICROSTRUCTURE
NICKEL 59
TENSILE PROPERTIES
ALLOYS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ELEMENTS
EPITHERMAL REACTORS
EVEN-ODD NUCLEI
FAST REACTORS
FLUIDS
GASES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IRON ALLOYS
ISOTOPES
LIQUID METAL COOLED REACTORS
MATERIALS
NICKEL ISOTOPES
NONMETALS
NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
RARE GASES
REACTORS
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
RESEARCH REACTORS
SODIUM COOLED REACTORS
TEST REACTORS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
220600* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors
360103 - Metals & Alloys- Mechanical Properties