Laves inter-metallics in stainless steel-zirconium alloys

[摘要] Laves intermetallics have a significant effect on properties of metal waste forms being developed at Argonne National Laboratory. These waste forms are stainless steel-zirconium alloys that will contain radioactive metal isotopes isolated from spent nuclear fuel by electrometallurgical treatment. The baseline waste form composition for stainless steel-clad fuels is stainless steel-15wt.%zirconium (SS-15Zr). This article presents results of neutron diffraction measurements, heat-treatment studies and mechanical testing on SS-15Zr alloys. The Laves intermetallics in these alloys, labeled Zr(Fe,Cr,Ni)(2+x), have both C36 and C15 crystal structures. A fraction of these intermetallics transform into (Fe,Cr,Ni)(2)3Zr(6) during high-temperature annealing; we have proposed a mechanism for this transformation. The SS-15Zr alloys show virtually no elongation in uniaxial tension, but exhibit good strength and ductility in compression tests. This article also presents neutron diffraction and microstructural data for a stainless steel-42wt.%zirconium (SS-42Zr) alloy. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.

[发布日期] 1997-12-01

[效力级别]  Proceedings Paper

[关键词] heat-treatment;neutron diffraction;compression tests