Small-angle neutron scattering of low-Cu RPV steels neutron-irradiated at 255 degrees C and post-irradiation annealed at 290 degrees C
Small-angle neutron scattering of low-Cu RPV steels neutron-irradiated at 255 degrees C and post-irradiation annealed at 290 degrees C
Wagner, A.; Bergner, F.; Ulbricht, A.; Dewhurst, C. D.
Fast neutron irradiation of low-Cu reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels gives rise to the formation of solute clusters and a degradation of mechanical properties. A remarkable acceleration of cluster formation was identified in a previous investigation of low-Cu steels irradiated at 255 degrees C. The thermal stability of the observed features at a typical RPV operation temperature (290 degrees C) is of particular interest. Small-angle neutron scattering experiments for three low-Cu materials irradiated at 255 degrees C and exposed to post-irradiation annealing at 290 degrees C are reported. The results indicate stability of the irradiation-induced features at a temperature of 290 degrees C for all three materials. In two cases, even an increase in scattering intensity upon post-irradiation annealing has been observed. The effect of the annealing treatment on the nature of clusters is discussed and a model of the cluster-matrix interface is introduced to rationalize the observed increase in scattering intensity. The role of the residual elements is discussed.
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Poster
NuMat 2012: The Nuclear Materials Conference, 21.-25.10.2012, Osaka, Japan -
Journal of Nuclear Materials 441(2013), 487-492
Online First (2013) DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2013.06.032
ISSN: 0022-3115
Cited 13 times in Scopus
Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-18492
Publ.-Id: 18492