Effect of irradiation-induced plastic flow localization on ductile crack resistance behavior of a 9%Cr tempered martensitic steel

Rachid Chaouadi, Dirk Maes

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    This paper examines the effect of irradiation-induced plastic flow localization on the crack resistance behavior. Tensile and crack resistance measurements were performed on Eurofer-97 that was irradiated at 300 °C to neutron doses ranging between 0.3 and 2.1 dpa. A severe degradation of crack resistance behavior is experimentally established at quasi-static loading, in contradiction with the Charpy impact data and the dynamic crack resistance measurements. This degradation is attributed to the dislocation channel deformation phenomenon. At quasi-static loading rate, scanning electron microscopy observations of the fracture surfaces revealed a significant change of fracture topography, mainly from equiaxed dimples (mode I) to shear dimples (mode I + II). With increasing loading rate, the high peak stresses that develop inside the process zone activate much more dislocation sources resulting in a higher density of cross cutting dislocation channels and therefore an almost unaffected crack resistance. These explanations provide a rational to all experimental observations.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)379-390
    JournalJournal of Nuclear Materials
    Volume372
    Issue number2-3
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 31 Jan 2008

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