Significance of selected residual elements to the radiation sensitivity of A302-B steels

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6768529

Hawthorne, J R

The effects of three levels of copper content and phosphorus content and two levels of sulfur content on radiation sensitivity and postirradiation heat treatment response were explored for a reactor pressure vessel steel, Type A302-B. Test plates for the investigation were produced from 182-kg (400-lb) laboratory melts. The contributions of individual elements were assessed from Charpy-V (CV) notch ductility changes with 288/sup 0/C (550/sup 0/F) irradiation and with a 343/sup 0/C (650/sup 0/F), 168-h postirradiation heat treatment. Limited studies of properties recovery by postirradiation 399/sup 0/C (750/sup 0/F) heat treatment were also made. Radiation embrittlement sensitivity, as shown by CV transition temperature elevation and CV upper shelf reduction, generally increased with increased copper and phosphorus content and with decreased sulfur content. Certain ranges of phosphorus and copper content were found to be more critical than others. Response to 343/sup 0/C (650/sup 0/F) postirradiation heat treatment, as evidenced by transition temperature recovery in degrees Celsius, appeared to be independent of copper, phosphorus, and sulfur content for the ranges investigated. Response to heat treatment also appeared to be independent of the magnitude of the prior transition temperature elevation by irradiation. On the other hand, a dependence of percentage recovery on impurity element content was observed. A dependence of upper shelf recovery on copper content was also found. Six of the eight plate compositions exhibited full upper shelf recovery but only small transition temperature recovery after 343/sup 0/C (650/sup 0/F) heat treatment.

• Research Organization: Naval Research Laboratory Thermostructural Materials Branch, Material Science and Technology Division Washington, DC 20375
• OSTI ID: 6768529
• Journal Information: Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 59:3; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220200* -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Components & Accessories
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360106 -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
ALLOYS
CHARPY TEST
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CONTAINERS
COPPER
DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
ELEMENTS
EMBRITTLEMENT
FUNCTIONS
HEAT TREATMENTS
IMPACT TESTS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
IRRADIATION
MATERIALS
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL TESTS
METALLURGICAL EFFECTS
METALS
NONMETALS
PHOSPHORUS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
POST-IRRADIATION EXAMINATION
PRESSURE VESSELS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION EFFECTS
REACTOR MATERIALS
RESPONSE FUNCTIONS
SENSITIVITY
STEELS
SULFUR
SULFUR CONTENT
TESTING
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE