The Effect of Gadolinium on the Microstructures and Charpy Impact Properties of Super Duplex Stainless Steels

Moon, Byung-Moon; Lee, Sangwook; Kim, Moon-Jo; Jung, Seung-Rok; Kim, Young‐Jig; Jung, Hyun-Do

doi:10.3390/met8070474

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Spent nuclear fuel (SNF) generated by nuclear reactors has the inherent capability to undergo spontaneous fission, resulting in the emission of intense neutrons and gamma rays [1][2][3][4]. These emissions pose significant radiation risks to both individuals and the surrounding environment, necessitating careful and proper disposal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterization of Various Stainless Steels Containing Gadolinium as Thermal Neutron Absorbing and Shielding Materials

Oh,

Ahn,

Jung

et al. 2023

Metals

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Developing next-generation thermal-neutron-shielding and -absorbing materials for the safe storage and transportation of spent nuclear fuel is a topic of active research in academia. Gadolinium (Gd) boasts superior neutron absorption capacity compared with other nuclei. Consequently, it has garnered significant attention as a potential replacement for boron in spent nuclear fuel (SNF) applications. In this study, the austenitic stainless steels 304 and 316 and the duplex stainless steel 5A were reinforced with 2 wt.% of gadolinium to explore their thermal-neutron-absorbing efficiency. Their properties were then compared with commercial-grade borated stainless steel, as per ASTM standard A887. After the inclusion of Gd, both the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the alloys slightly increased, which was attributed to the evenly distributed Gd intermetallics within the matrix. However, the elongation rate was reduced. The Charpy impact absorption energy also decreased. The influence of the Gd intermetallic was further explored by examining the fractography. While the corrosion resistance of the alloy slightly diminished after the addition of Gd, its neutron absorption capacity demonstrated superior performance, especially when the Gd content was equivalent to that of boron. Although most properties of the experimental alloy deteriorated after the Gd addition, they still outperformed commercial borated stainless steel, suggesting that this alloy might be a promising candidate for SNF applications.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%