A combined APT and SANS investigation of α′ phase precipitation in neutron-irradiated model FeCrAl alloys

Abstract

FeCrAl alloys are currently under consideration for accident-tolerant fuel cladding applications in light water reactors owing to their superior hightemperature oxidation and corrosion resistance compared to the Zr-based alloys currently employed. However, their performance could be limited by precipitation of a Cr-rich α phase that tends to embrittle high-Cr ferritic Fe-based alloys. In this study, four FeCrAl model alloys with 1018 at.% Cr and 5.89.3 at.% Al were neutron-irradiated to nominal damage doses up to 7.0 displacements per atom at a target temperature of 320. Small angle

Mechanical properties of neutron-irradiated model and commercial FeCrAl alloys

“…Materials for irradiation and subsequent tensile testing included four model FeCrAl alloys with varying Cr and aluminum additions and the commercially available FeCrAl alloy Kanthal APMT. The model alloys studied are designated as F1C5AY, B125Y, B154Y-2, B183Y-2 and have been the subject of several other studies as well [13,[15][16][17]. In the case of the -B-series‖ alloys, the first two numbers in the alloy designation refers to the nominal target Cr composition while the third number refers to the nominal Al composition, e.g.…”

“…Details for the sample geometries and lower-dose irradiation conditions for the model alloys have been provided in previous work [13,16,17]. All specimens used in those studies and within this study were prepared by a single vendor using wire electric discharge machining to make dog-bone, sheet-type SS-J2 specimens (gage size 5.01.20.5 mm).…”

Comparison between SANS and APT measurements in a thermally aged Fe-19 at.%Cr alloy

“…Moreover, APT relying on physics of field evaporation of atoms, artefacts may appear that can artificially modify shape and composition of the observed particles [14][15][16][17][18][19]. Respective weaknesses and strengths of SANS and APT make them complementary techniques and cross-checking results obtained for the same alloys is of a large interest [20][21][22]. Nevertheless, one very important point is still pending.…”

Quantitative Phase-Field Simulation of Composition Partition and Separation Kinetics of Nanoscale Phase in Fe-Cr-Al Alloy

“…Fe-Cr-Al alloys have good corrosion resistance, radiation resistance, and mechanical strength, and they are being developed as structural materials for the next generation of nuclear reactors, such as fusion reactors, sodium fast reactors, lead-cooled fast reactors, and supercritical water reactors [1][2][3][4][5]. Also, because of the comprehensive performance of Fe-Cr-Al alloys in steam environments, these alloys are under consideration for accident-tolerant fuel-cladding applications [6][7][8].…”