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Correlating Radiation Exposure with Embrittlement: Comparative Studies of Electron- and Neutron-Irradiated Pressure Vessel Alloys

Alexander, DE
Argonne National Laboratory,IL,

Kestel, BJ
Argonne National Laboratory,IL,

Rehn, LE
Argonne National Laboratory,IL,

Odette, GR
University of California-Santa Barbara,CA,

Lucas, GE
University of California-Santa Barbara,CA,

Klingensmith, D
University of California-Santa Barbara,CA,

Gragg, D
University of California-Santa Barbara,CA,

Seifert, S
Argonne National Laboratory,

Jemian, PR
Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, UNICAT,IL,


Pages: 8    Published: Jan 2001


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Source: STP1398-EB


Abstract

Experiments comparing the embrittling effects of high-energy (10-MeV) electrons and test reactor fast neutrons have been performed to elucidate the role of primary damage state on reactor pressure vessel embrittlement. Electrons produce displacement damage primarily by low-energy atomic recoils, while fast neutrons produce displacements from considerably higher energy recoils. Comparison of changes resulting from neutron irradiation, in which nascent point-defect clusters can form in dense cascades, with electron irradiation, where cascade formation is minimized, can provide insight into the role that the in-cascade point-defect clusters have on embrittlement mechanisms. Yield strength changes induced by 10-MeV electrons or test reactor neutron irradiations of unalloyed iron and an Fe-0.9 wt.% Cu-1.0 wt.% Mn alloy were examined up to 1.5 x 10-2 dpa. The small alloying additions substantially enhanced embrittlement in both the electron- and neutron-irradiated samples relative to unalloyed iron. Similar embrittlement trends with increasing radiation damage were observed for electrons and neutrons in both the ternary and unalloyed iron. Preliminary results of small-angle X-ray scattering measurements of embrittled microstructures are also reported.


Keywords:
damage correlation, neutron irradiation, electron irradiation, pressure vessel embrittlement, primary damage state, small-angle X-ray scattering

Paper ID: STP13649S
Committee/Subcommittee: E10.08
DOI: 10.1520/STP13649S
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