Abstract
Refractory oxide dispersion strengthened 13Cr-2Mo steel powder was successfully consolidated to near theoretical density using high voltage electric discharge compaction. Cylindrical samples with relative density from 90% to 97% and dimensions of 10 mm in diameter and 10–15 mm in height were obtained. Consolidation conditions such as pressure and voltage were varied in some ranges to determine the optimal compaction regime. Three different concentrations of yttria were used to identify its effect on the properties of the samples. It is shown that the utilized ultra-rapid consolidation process in combination with high transmitted energy allows obtaining high density compacts, retaining the initial structure with minimal grain growth. The experimental results indicate some heterogeneity of the structure which may occur in the external layers of the tested samples due to various thermal and electromagnetic in-processing effects. The choice of the optimal parameters of the consolidation enables obtaining samples of acceptable quality.
Highlights
Refractory materials, which are used in the fast reactor active zone, should meet a number of special requirements
Many of the materials currently utilized in fuel claddings and other components of the reactor active zones do not meet the levels of the required mechanical properties, radiation, and thermal resistance, especially for the new projects on high-power nuclear reactors
In many cases, special austenitic steels such as 16Cr-15Ni-2Mo steel are used as the material for cladding tubes for fast nuclear reactor active zones
Summary
Refractory materials, which are used in the fast reactor active zone, should meet a number of special requirements. In many cases, special austenitic steels such as 16Cr-15Ni-2Mo steel are used as the material for cladding tubes for fast nuclear reactor active zones These steels (with FCC crystal lattice) have suitable mechanical properties and radiation resistance at elevated temperatures and high neutron fluence [1,2]. Such an ultra-rapid process in combination with high transmitted energy allows obtaining high density compacts, saving the initial structure with minimal grain growth, and avoiding thermally activated phase transformations All these parameters are important for the ODS steels compaction because there is a need to obtain homogeneous distributions of the hard refractory oxide particles inside the matrix steel powder to prevent their agglomeration and grain growth for better mechanical properties. Using various shapes of punches and dies, the freeform products can be manufactured
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