Deformation Microstructures and Creep Mechanisms in Advanced ZR-Based Cladding Under Biazal Loading

Investigate creep behavior of Zr-based cladding tubes with attention to basic creep mechanisms and transitions in them at low stresses and/or temperatures and study the dislocation microstructures of deformed samples for correlation with the underlying micromechanism of cree

Burst and Biaxial Creep of Thin-Walled Tubing of Low c/a-Ratio HCP Metals

AbstractThin-walled tubing used in various structures are made of low c/a-ratio hcp metals such as Zr and Ti based alloys, and their integrity to internal pressures is of prime importance in the life of these engineering structures. We summarize here ome of the work performed on Zircaloy cladding commonly used in LWRs as thin walled tubing as well as Cp-Ti and Ti3Al2.5V that find applications in aerospace industry. Considered here are three different types of tests: (i) burst tests using closed- end internal pressurization, (ii) uniaxial ring tests for characterization of hoop creep properties and (iii) hoop creep under biaxial internal pressurization. Burst and ring tests yielded identical hoop creep and rupture characteristics indicating the utility of ring tests to replace burst tests. Importance of transitions in creep mechanisms with decreased stress levels in predicting in-service dimensional changes is emphasized

In-Situ Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Investigation of Strain, Temperature, and Strain-Rate Variations of Deformation-Induced Vacancy Concentration in Aluminum

Critical strain to serrated flow in solid solution alloys exhibiting dynamic strain aging (DSA) or Portevin–LeChatelier effect is due to the strain-induced vacancy production. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques can be used to monitor in situ the dynamical behavior of point and line defects in materials during deformation, and these techniques are nondestructive and noninvasive. The new CUT-sequence pulse method allowed an accurate evaluation of the strain-enhanced vacancy diffusion and, thus, the excess vacancy concentration during deformation as a function of strain, strain rate, and temperature. Due to skin effect problems in metals at high frequencies, thin foils of Al were used and experimental results correlated with models based on vacancy production through mechanical work (vs thermal jogs), while in situ annealing of excess vacancies is noted at high temperatures. These correlations made it feasible to obtain explicit dependencies of the strain-induced vacancy concentration on test variables such as the strain, strain rate, and temperature. These studies clearly reveal the power and utility of these NMR techniques in the determination of deformation-induced vacancies in situ in a noninvasive fashion.

Effect of neutron irradiation on mechanical properties of ferritic steels

Effect of neutron radiation exposure was investigated in various ferritic steels with the main emphasis being the effects of thermal neutrons on radiation hardening. Pure iron of varied grain sizes was also used for characterizing the grain size effects on the source hardening before and after neutron irradiation. While many steels are considered in the overall study, the results on 1020, A516 and A588 steels are emphasized. Radiation hardening due to fast neutrons was seen to be sensitive to the composition of the steels with A354 being the least resistant and A490 the least sensitive. Majority of the radiation hardening stems from friction hardening, and source hardening term decreased with exposure to neutron radiation apparently due to the interaction of interstitial impurities with radiation produced defects. Inclusion of thermal neutrons along with fast resulted in further decrease in the source hardening with a slight increase in the friction hardening which revealed a critical grain size below which exposure to total (fast and thermal) neutron spectrum resulted in a slight reduction in the yield stress compared to the exposure to only fast neutrons. This is the first time such a grain size effect is reported and this is shown to be consistent with known radiation effects on friction and source hardening terms along with the observation that low energy neutrons have a nonnegligible effect on the mechanical properties of steels. In ferritic steels, however, despite their small grain size, exposure to total neutron spectrum yielded higher strengths than exposure to only fast neutrons. This behavior is consistent with the fact that the source hardening is small in these alloys and radiation effect is due only to friction stress

An introduction to nuclear materials: fundamentals and applications

Covering both fundamental and advanced aspects in an accessible way, this textbook begins with an overview of nuclear reactor systems, helping readers to familiarize themselves with the varied designs. Then the readers are introduced to different possibilities for materials applications in the various sections of nuclear energy systems. Materials selection and life prediction methodologies for nuclear reactors are also presented in relation to creep, corrosion and other degradation mechanisms. An appendix compiles useful property data relevant for nuclear reactor applications. Throughout the book, there is a thorough coverage of various materials science principles, such as physical and mechanical metallurgy, defects and diffusion and radiation effects on materials, with serious efforts made to establish structure-property correlations wherever possible. With its emphasis on the latest developments and outstanding problems in the field, this is both a valuable introduction and a ready reference for beginners and experienced practitioners alike