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Title: Postirradiation properties of the 6061-T6 aluminum High Flux Isotope Reactor hydraulic tube

Journal Article · · Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States)
OSTI ID:7353218

A tube of 6061 aluminum alloy in a T6 temper, precipitation-hardened with Mg/sub 2/Si, was examined after irradiation in the core of the High Flux Isotope Reactor to fluences up to 1.3 x 10/sup 23/ neutrons (n)/cm/sup 2/ (0.1 MeV) and 3.1 x 10/sup 23/ n/cm/sup 2/ (thermal) in contact with the cooling water at a temperature of about 55/sup 0/C. The alloy displayed up to 2.5 percent swelling due mainly to a precipitate of transmutation-produced silicon of which more than 6 weight percent was formed. Some cavities were also observed. Tension tests in the temperature range 55 to 200/sup 0/C showed radiation-induced increases in yield stresses and ultimate stresses of 50 to 80 percent; elongation was reduced from the range 10 to 15 percent to about 5 percent at 55/sup 0/C and to about 3 percent at test temperatures above 100/sup 0/C. The fracture mode was changed from transgranular tearing around inclusions to a mixture of transgranular tearing and ductile intergranular separation. These changes are attributed primarily to the radiation-induced silicon precipitate. A rim of intergranular cracks formed at the originally oxidized surfaces of the tube duringtension testing and became deeper with increasing neutron irradiation and increasing temperature.

OSTI ID:
7353218
Journal Information:
Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States), Vol. 570
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English