Strength anisotropy of rolled 11Cr-ODS steel

Materials for core components of fusion reactors and fast reactors, such as blankets and fuel cladding tubes, must offer the best possible high temperature strength and irradiation resistance because they will be exposed to high heat flux and heavy neutron irradiation. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been developing 9 and 11 chromium (Cr) oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels as candidate materials for advanced fast reactor cladding tubes. In this study the JAEA 11Cr-ODS steel was rolled in order to evaluate its anisotropy. The tensile tests and creep tests were carried out at 700°C in longitudinal and transverse orientations. The anisotropy of the tensile strength was negligible, though that of the creep strength was distinct. The observation results and chemical composition mapping suggested that the cause of the anisotropy in the creep strength was a previously formed columnar boundary, that is, a prior particle boundary including Ti-rich sub-micro metric precipitates

Effect of thermo-mechanical treatments on nano-structure of 9Cr-ODS steel

The effect of thermo-mechanical treatments (TMTs) on the evolution of nano-structure in an oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic/martensitic steel (Fe-9Cr-2W-0.22Ti-0.36Y2O3) was investigated. TMTs involve hot extruding and subsequent forging, which are expected to be part of a future industrial-scale manufacturing process of the ODS steel. It was shown that the ODS steel was composed of two phases — a fine-grained residual ferrite phase and a transformable martensite phase. The number density of the nano-sized particles in the residual ferrite phase was significantly higher than that in the martensite phase. The TMTs did not significantly affect the number density, but slightly affected the size distribution of the nano-sized particles in both ferrite phase and martensite phase. Moreover, the volume fraction of the residual ferrite phase decreased after TMTs. In summary, the TMT conditions could be a parameter which affects the nano-structure of the ODS steel