Impact behavior of reduced-activation steels irradiated to 24 dpa

Abstract

Charpy impact tests were previously conducted on eight chromium-tungsten steels after irradiation at 365°C to 6–8 and 15–17 dpa in the Fast Flux Test Facility. These same steels, which range in concentration from 2.25 to 12 wt% (all steels contained 0.1%C), have now been irradiated to 20–24 dpa under the same conditions. Post-irradiation Charpy impact tests after 20–24 dpa showed that the loss of impact toughness, as measured by an increase in the ductile—brittle transition temperature (DBTT) and a decrease in the upper-shelf energy, remained relatively unchanged from the values after 15–17 dpa. As before, the most irradiation-resistant steels were two 9% Cr steels: the DBTT of a 9Cr2W0.25V steel increased 59°C, and for the same composition with an addition of 0.07% Ta, the DBTT increased only 21°C. The other steels developed shifts in DBTT of 100 to 300°C. A 2.25% Cr steel with 2% W and 0.25% V was less severely affected by irradiation than 2.25% Cr steels with 0.25% V and no tungsten, 2% W and no vanadium, and with 1% W and 0.25% V. Steels with 5 and 12% Cr, 2% W, and 0.25% V had properties between those of the 2.25Cr and 9Cr steels.