Microstructural changes in highly irradiated 15Kh2MFA steel


Microstructural changes in highly irradiated 15Kh2MFA steel

Gillemot, F.; Horváth, A.; Horváth, M.; Kovács, A.; Radiguet, B.; Cammelli, S.; Pareige, P.; Hernandez-Mayoral, M.; Ulbricht, A.; Kresz, N.; Oszwald, F.; Török, G.

15Kh2MFA-type steel forgings were irradiated in an accelerated surveillance position of a power reactor, up to about 1 × 1021 n/cm2, E> 1 MeV with medium flux. This steel is a Cr-Mo-V-type low-copper reactor pressure vessel material. 15Kh2MFA was microstructurally tested as received and in three different irradiation states within the frame of the LONGLIFE project. The following microstructural tests were performed: metallography, fractography, transmission electron microscopy, small angle neutron scattering, and atom-probe tomography. The aim of the current paper is to summarize the results that were evaluated by the six European institutes performing the study. The SANS tests show that the cluster volume fraction growth is nearly linear as a function of the fluence, and atom-probe tomography concludes that vanadium carbide precipitations were already originally present in the as-received steel. During irradiation these precipitates are enriched with Mo, Cu, and Cr. At the highest dose Mn, Si, and Ni are also attached to these clusters.

Keywords: Clusters; Dislocations; Irradiation; Microstructural testing; Precipitations

  • Contribution to proceedings
    26th International Symposium - Effects of Radiation on Nuclear Materials, 12.-13.06.2013, Indianapolis, US
    Effects of Radiation on Nuclear Materials: 26th Volume, ASTM STP 1572, West Conshohocken, PA, USA: ASTM International, 978-0-8031-7589-1, 45-56
    DOI: 10.1520/STP157220130098
    Cited 4 times in Scopus

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