Development of an Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Austenitic Steel Powder with 4% Aluminum Addition

Abstract

Development of accident-tolerant fuel (ATF) cladding materials for LWR (Light Water Reactors) is being intensively carried out in many research centers in the world as the lesson-learned from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactor power plant accident. One of the advanced high temperature materials which is intensively developed is Oxide Dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel. The strengthened mechanism is generated by homogeneous dispersion of nanometer sized ceramic oxide particles in the matrix of the steel which is done by mechanical alloying technique so called mechanosynthesis. Synthesis of an austenitic ODS steel powder of SS316L with additional element of 4% aluminum and dispersion of nanoparticles of 0.5% yttrium oxide (yttria: Y2O3) has been done. The aim of the research is to achieve a better performance of SS316L steel as the established material for power plant at elevated temperature. Mechanosynthesis was done using High Energy ball Milling (HEM) for 30 hours with BPR (Ball to Powder Ratio) of 10:1. Afterward, the sample was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive Spectroscope (SEM-EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to analyze the microstructure characteristics. The results showed that the alloying between SS316L and aluminum powders was formed. Furthermore, crystal grains and the particles of SS316L-4Al-0.5Y2O3 powder was smaller than as received SS316L and aluminum powders.