Early Stages of Fatigue Damage of Steels for Fusion Energetics

Hlavním cílem této práce bylo vysvětlit únavové chování ocelí ODS Eurofer, 14Cr ODS feritické oceli vyráběné v CEA (Commissariat a l’énergie atomique, Saclay, France) a 14Cr ODS feritické oceli vyráběné v EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Laussane, Switzerland). Pokud to bylo možné byly získané výsledky porovnány s ocelí Eurofer 97. Tato práce je součástí široké spolupráce, která je zaměřena na vývoj konstrukčních materiálů pro fuzní reaktory. V průběhu práce byly provedeny následující experimenty: • Standardní únavové zkoušky za pokojové teploty, při 650 a při 750 , byly získány křivky cyklického zpevnění/změkčení, cyklické deformační křivky, Coffinovy–Mansonovy a Wöhlerovi křivky. Hysterezní smyčky byly detailně analyzovány. • Pozorování mikrostruktury výchozího stavu pomocí TEM a porovnání s mikrostrukturou po cyklickém zatížení. • Pozorování povrchového reliéfu, který vznik díky lokalizaci cyklické plastické deformace - byla odhalena místa iniciace únavových trhlin a byl analyzován mechanismus jejich vzniku. • Měření kinetiky únavových trhlin. Oxidická disperse značně zpevňuje materiály, redukuje cyklické změkčení a stabilizuje mikrostrukturu v celém rozsahu teplot. Byly nalezeny velké rozdíly v životnosti jednotlivých ocelí. Ty byly vysvětleny pomocí rozdílných mechanismů iniciace trhlin a jejich různou rychlostí.The main aim of the thesis is to explain fatigue behaviour of the ODS Eurofer steel, 14Cr ODS ferritic steel produced in the CEA (Commissariat a l’énergie atomique, Saclay, France) and 14Cr ODS ferritic steel produced in the EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Laussane, Switzerland). The results are compared with non–ODS variant of Eurofer steel, if possible. This work is part of a wide collaboration coordinated by the EFDA (European Fusion Development Agreement) on development of structural materials for future fusion reactors. The following experiments were carried out: • Standard fatigue experiments were performed at room temperature, at 650 and at 750 . Cyclic hardening/softening curves, cyclic deformation stress–strain curves, Coffin–Manson curves and Wöhler curves were measured. Detailed analysis of hysteresis loops was performed. • The microstructure of the as–received state was studied by TEM and compared with the microstructure after fatigue loading in order to reveal microstructural changes due to fatigue loading. • Surface roughening due to cyclic plastic localisation was observed. Crack initiation sites were detected and the mechanism of crack initiation was analysed. • Kinetics of small fatigue crack growth was measured. It was found that fine oxide dispersion strengthens studied materials significantly, reduces cyclic softening and stabilises the microstructure in the whole range of testing temperatures. The maximum application temperature is increased. Significant differences in fatigue life of the ODS steels were found and explained by differences in crack initiation mechanisms and small fatigue crack growth rate.

Creep and residual mechanical properties of cast superalloys and oxide dispersion strengthened alloys

Tensile, stress-rupture, creep, and residual tensile properties after creep testing were determined for two typical cast superalloys and four advanced oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys. The superalloys examined included the nickel-base alloy B-1900 and the cobalt-base alloy MAR-M509. The nickel-base ODS MA-757 (Ni-16CR-4Al-0.6Y2O3 and the iron-base ODS alloy MA-956 (Fe-20Cr-5Al-0.8Y2O3) were extensively studied, while limited testing was conducted on the ODS nickel-base alloys STCA (Ni-16Cr-4.5Al-2Y2O3) with a without Ta and YD-NiCrAl (Ni-16Cr-5Al-2Y2O3). Elevated temperature testing was conducted from 114 to 1477 K except for STCA and YD-NiCrAl alloys, which were only tested at 1366 K. The residual tensile properties of B-1900 and MAR-M509 are not reduced by prior creep testing (strains at least up to 1 percent), while the room temperature tensile properties of ODS nickel-base alloys can be reduced by small amounts of prior creep strain (less than 0.5 percent). The iron-base ODS alloy MA-956 does not appear to be susceptible to creep degradation at least up to strains of about 0.25 percent. However, MA-956 exhibits unusual creep behavior which apparently involves crack nucleation and growth

Creep degradation in oxide-dispersion-strengthened alloys

Oxide dispersion strengthened Ni-base alloys in wrought bar form are studied for creep degradation effects similar to those found in thin gage sheet. The bar products evaluated included ODS-Ni, ODS-NiCr, and three types of advanced ODS-NiCrAl alloys. Tensile test specimens were exposed to creep at various stress levels at 1365 K and then tensile tested at room temperature. Low residual tensile properties, change in fracture mode, the appearance of dispersoid-free bands, grain boundary cavitation, and internal oxidation in the microstructure were interpreted as creep degradation effects. This work showed that many ODS alloys are subject to creep damage. Degradation of tensile properties occurred after very small amounts of creep strain, ductility being the most sensitive property. All the ODS alloys which were creep damaged possessed a large grain size. Creep damage appears to have been due to diffusional creep which produced dispersoid-free bands around boundaries acting as vacancy sources. Low angle and possibly twin boundaries acted as vacancy sources

The oxidation and corrosion of ODS alloys

The oxidation and hot corrosion of high temperature oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys are reviewed. The environmental resistance of such alloys are classified by oxide growth rate, oxide volatility, oxide spalling, and hot corrosion limitations. Also discussed are environmentally resistant coatings for ODS materials. It is concluded that ODS NiCrAl and FeCrAl alloys are highly oxidation and corrosion resistant and can probably be used uncoated

Creep shear behavior of the oxide dispersion strengthened superalloy MA 6000E

The shear rupture life of the oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) superalloy MA 6000E was determined at 650 and 760 C was 250 MPa. Comparisons were made at 760 C with the conventional cast superalloy B-1900+Hf, the ODS alloy MA 754, and the directionally solidified eutectic alloy gamma/gamma prime-delta was 170 MPa, and for B-1900+Hf was 360 MPa. The ODS alloy MA 6000E and gamma/gamma prime-delta failed with very little indication of ductile accommodation. Both MA 754 and B-1900+Hf showed some ductile tearing. Fracture surfaces of the ODS alloy MA 754 showed discontinuities similar size, shape, and roughness to its grain structure, but the fracture surfaces of MA 6000E were much smoother than its grain boundaries

Oxidation resistance of ODS alloy PM2000 from 880°C to 1400°C

Oxidation resistance of ODS alloy PM2000 from 880°C to 1400°

Longitudinal shear behavior of several oxide dispersion strengthened alloys

Two commercial oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys, MA-753 and MA-754, and three experimental ODS alloys, MA-757E, MA-755E, and MA-6000E, were tested in shear at 760 C. Comparisons were made with other turbine blade and vane alloys. All of the ODS alloys exhibited less shear strength than directionally solidified Mar-M 200 = Hf or then conventionally cast B-1900. The strongest ODS alloy tested, MA-755E, was comparable in both shear and tensile strength to the lamellar directionally solidified eutectic alloy gamma/gamma prime - delta. Substantial improvements in shear resistance were found for all alloys tested when the geometry of the specimen was changed from one generating a transverse tensile stress in the shear area to one generating a transverse compressive stress. Finally, 760 C shear strength as a fraction of tensile strength was found to increase linearly with the log of the transverse tensile ductility

Low cost fabrication development for oxide dispersion strengthened alloy vanes

Viable processes were developed for secondary working of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys to near-net shapes (NNS) for aircraft turbine vanes. These processes were shown capable of producing required microstructure and properties for vane applications. Material cost savings of 40 to 50% are projected for the NNS process over the current procedures which involve machining from rectangular bar. Additional machining cost savings are projected. Of three secondary working processes evaluated, directional forging and plate bending were determined to be viable NNS processes for ODS vanes. Directional forging was deemed most applicable to high pressure turbine (HPT) vanes with their large thickness variations while plate bending was determined to be most cost effective for low pressure turbine (LPT) vanes because of their limited thickness variations. Since the F101 LPT vane was selected for study in this program, development of plate bending was carried through to establishment of a preliminary process. Preparation of ODS alloy plate for bending was found to be a straight forward process using currently available bar stock, providing that the capability for reheating between roll passes is available. Advanced ODS-NiCrAl and ODS-FeCrAl alloys were utilized on this program. Workability of all alloys was adequate for directional forging and plate bending, but only the ODS-FeCrAl had adequate workability for shaped preform extrustion

Blue velvet: The rise and decline of the new Czech right

In Comparative terms, the Czech centre-right (principally the Civic Democratic Part - ODS - of Václav Klaus) represents an intermediate case between those of Hungary and Poland. Although Klaus's ODS has always been a large, stable and well-institutionalized party, avoiding the fragmentation and instability of the Polish right, the Czech centre-right has not achieved the degree of ideological and organization concentration seen in Hungary. A number of factors are commonly used to explain party (and party system) formation in the region in relation to the Czech centre-right. These include both structural-historical explanations and 'political' factors such as macro-institutional design, strategies of party formation in the immediate post-transition period, ideological construction and charismatic leadership. In fact, both the early success and subsequent decline of the Czech right were rooted in a single set of circumstances: (1) the early institutionalization of ODS as the dominant party of the mainstream right; and (2) the right's immediate and successful taking up of the mantle of market reform and technocratic modernization. © 2004 Taylor and Francis Ltd