A Methodology for the design of non-uniform core configurations in the modified STACY facility

Dechenaux, B.*; Brovchenko, M.*; Araki, Shohei; Gunji, Satoshi; Suyama, Kenya

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 223, p.111555_1 - 111555_11, 2025/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2025.111555

Oxide particles in oxide dispersion strengthened steel neutron-irradiated up to 158 dpa at Joyo

Toyama, Takeshi*; Tanno, Takashi; Yano, Yasuhide; Inoue, Koji*; Nagai, Yasuyoshi*; Otsuka, Satoshi; Miyazawa, Takeshi; Mitsuhara, Masatoshi*; Nakashima, Hideharu*; Onuma, Masato*; et al.

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 599, p.155252_1 - 155252_14, 2024/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155252

We investigated the stability of oxide nano particles in oxide dispersion-strengthened (ODS) steel, which is a promising candidate material for next-generation reactors, under neutron irradiation at high temperature to high doses. MA957, a 14Cr-ODS steel, was irradiated with Joyo in Japan Atomic Energy Agency under irradiation conditions of 130 dpa at 502C, 154 dpa at 589C, and 158 dpa at 709C. Three-dimensional atom probe (3D-AP) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation were performed to characterize the oxide particles in the ODS steels. A high number density of Y-Ti-O particle was observed in the unirradiated and irradiated samples. Almost no change in the morphology of the oxide particles, i.e. average diameter, number density, and chemical composition, has been observed in the samples irradiated to 130 dpa at 502C and to 154 dpa at 589C. A slight decrease in number density was observed in the sample irradiated to 158 dpa at 709CC. The hardness of any of the irradiated samples was almost unchanged from that of the unirradiated sample. It was revealed that the oxide particles existed stable, and the strength of the material was sufficiently maintained even after being neutron irradiated to high dose of 160 dpa at high temperature up to 700C. A part of this study includes the results of MEXT Innovative Nuclear Research and Development Program Grant Number JPMXD0219214482.

Anisotropic creep property related to non-spherical shape of mechanically alloyed powder of oxide dispersion strengthened F82H

Sakasegawa, Hideo; Nakajima, Motoki*; Kato, Taichiro*; Nozawa, Takashi*; Ando, Masami*

Materials Today Communications (Internet), 40, p.109659_1 - 109659_8, 2024/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcomm.2024.109659

Nanometric oxide particles play an important role in improving the creep property of Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) steels. In our previous research, we examined a microstructural feature known as prior particle boundary (PPB). PPB refers to the surface of mechanically alloyed (MA) powders before consolidation. We revealed that the ODS steel with fine PPBs produced from smaller MA powders, exhibited shorter creep rupture times, compared to that with coarse PPBs produced from larger MA powders. The size of MA powders had an impact on the creep property. In this study, we examined the shape of MA powders, which were non-spherical shapes. Such shapes have the potential to induce anisotropic creep behavior. We conducted small punch creep tests on specimens with two different orientations to study the possible anisotropy. The results revealed that the creep rupture times varied depending on the orientation of specimen, thus indicating anisotropic creep property.

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy of FeCr and FeCrAl oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys

Ukai, Shigeharu; Hirade, Tetsuya; Okubo, Nariaki

Materials Characterization, 211, p.113813_1 - 113813_9, 2024/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2024.113813

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) was performed to characterize the interface nanostructure between the oxide particles and the ferritic matrix for two types of the oxide dispersion-strengthened (ODS) alloys. The spectra were precisely decomposed with two trappings. For the shorter annihilation lifetime (179-194 ps), based on the advanced theoretical work by Kuramoto, it could be ascribed to positron trapping at vacancies and divacancies localized under the misfit dislocations. The longer annihilation lifetime (301-323 ps) could be Ar-filled gas bubbles precipitated at the oxide particle/matrix interfaces. The estimated number density of Ar-filled gas bubbles is the same order of the oxide particle number density measured by HRTEM.

Practical development of accident tolerant FeCrAl-ODS fuel claddings for BWRs in Japan

Sakamoto, Kan*; Sakaguchi, Chisato*; Miura, Yusuke*; Yokoyama, Hironori*; Matsunaga, Junji*; Kasahara, Hideyuki*; Miyata, Hajime*; Ioka, Ikuo; Yamashita, Shinichiro; Osaka, Masahiko

Proceedings of 2023 Water Reactor Fuel Performance Meeting (WRFPM 2023), p.20 - 28, 2024/00

An oxide-dispersion-strengthened FeCrAl (FeCrAl-ODS) has been continuously developed in Japan as a promising candidate alloy for the accident tolerant fuel cladding of BWRs (boiling water reactors). This paper will introduce the progress in practical development of accident tolerant FeCrAl-ODS fuel claddings for BWRs in the program fully or partially supported and organized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan. The experimental studies have been conducted to obtain and accumulate key material properties of FeCrAl-ODS fuel claddings to support the evaluations in the analytical studies. For the evaluation at normal operation condition, fatigue test of unirradiated fuel cladding and tensile test of irradiated sheet specimen were conducted. In the fatigue test, a tensile-compressive bending strain was loaded on the C-shaped specimens by cyclic movement of a push-pull rod. Test temperature was 623 K, frequency was 1 Hz, and strain amplitude were 0.27, 0.34 and 0.55 %. The results of fatigue tests demonstrated that cycles to failure of the FeCrAl-ODS cladding were higher than that of the O'Donnell and Langer fatigue curve of Zr-based alloy. The tensile test was conducted in a hot cell using the SS-J2 type specimens at ambient temperature, 573 K and 623 K at a strain rate of 10-3 s-1. The specimens were irradiated up to 7.8 and 13 dpa at 573 K in the High Flux Isotope Reactor at ORNL. The irradiation hardening and ductility loss obtained at 7.8 and 13 dpa were comparable to those at 3.9 dpa.

Alloy design and characterization of a recrystallized FeCrAl-ODS cladding for accident-tolerant BWR fuels; An Overview of research activity in Japan

Ukai, Shigeharu; Sakamoto, Kan*; Otsuka, Satoshi; Yamashita, Shinichiro; Kimura, Akihiko*

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 583, p.154508_1 - 154508_24, 2023/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154508

High temperature mechanical properties and microstructure in 9Cr or 12Cr oxide dispersion strengthened steels

Mitsuhara, Masatoshi*; Kurino, Koichi*; Yano, Yasuhide; Otsuka, Satoshi; Toyama, Takeshi*; Onuma, Masato*; Nakashima, Hideharu*

Tetsu To Hagane, 109(3), p.189 - 200, 2023/03

https://doi.org/10.2355/tetsutohagane.TETSU-2022-080

Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) ferritic steel, a candidate material for fast reactor fuel cladding, has low thermal expansion, good thermal conductivity, and excellent resistance to irradiation damage and high temperature strength. The origin of the excellent high-temperature strength lies in the dispersion of fine oxides. In this study, creep tests at 700 or 750C, which are close to the operating temperatures of fast reactors, and high-temperature tensile tests at 900 to 1350 C, which simulate accident conditions, were conducted on 9Cr ODS ferritic steels, M11 and MP23, and 12Cr ODS ferritic steel, F14, to confirm the growth behavior of oxides. In the M11 and F14 creep test samples, there was little oxide growth or decrease in number density from the initial state, indicating that dispersion strengthening by oxides was effective during deformation. After creep deformation of F14, the development of dislocation substructures such as dislocation walls and subgrain boundaries was hardly observed, and mobile dislocations were homogeneously distributed in the grains. The dislocation density increased with increasing stress during the creep test. In the high-temperature ring tensile tests of MP23 and F14, the strength of both steels decreased at higher temperatures. In MP23, elongation decreased with increasing test temperature from 900 to 1100 C, but increased at 1200 C, decreased drastically at 1250 C, and increased again at 1300 C. In F14, elongation decreased with increasing temperature. It was inferred that the formation of the -ferrite phase was responsible for this complex change in mechanical properties of MP23 from 1200 to 1300 C.

Effect of nitrogen concentration on creep strength and microstructure of 9Cr-ODS ferritic/martensitic steel

Oka, Hiroshi*; Tanno, Takashi; Yano, Yasuhide; Otsuka, Satoshi; Kaito, Takeji; Hashimoto, Naoyuki*

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 572, p.154032_1 - 154032_8, 2022/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.154032

9Cr oxide dispersion strengthened steels with slightly different nitrogen concentrations (0.0034 - 0.029 wt%) were prepared and their creep property at 973 K was investigated with microstructural characterization before and after the creep test. The creep strength decreased significantly as the nitrogen concentration increased. Microstructural observation revealed that, in the higher nitrogen concentration specimen, coarse Y-rich inclusions were found along the boundary between transformed ferrite region and residual ferrite region. The solubility difference of nitrogen in and phase would induce the localized increment of nitrogen concentration in the boundary region during the austenitizing process, resulting in the thermodynamic destabilization and subsequent coarsening of the dispersed oxide particles. The rows of creep voids were found near the rupture part of the crept specimen, suggesting that the coarse inclusions were the starting point of creep void formation and the subsequent premature fracture.

Evaluation of tensile and creep properties on 9Cr-ODS steel claddings

Yano, Yasuhide; Hashidate, Ryuta; Tanno, Takashi; Imagawa, Yuya; Kato, Shoichi; Onizawa, Takashi; Ito, Chikara; Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Otsuka, Satoshi; Kaito, Takeji

JAEA-Data/Code 2021-015, 64 Pages, 2022/01

JAEA-Data-Code-2021-015.pdf:2.6MB
JAEA-Data-Code-2021-015(errata).pdf:0.14MB

From a view point of practical application of fast breeder reactor cycles, which takes advantage of safety and economic efficiency and makes a contribution of volume reduction and mitigation of degree of harmfulness of high-level radioactive waste, it is necessary to develop fuel cladding materials for fast reactors (FRs) in order to achieve high-burnup. Oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steel have been studied for use as potential fuel cladding materials in FRs owing to their excellent resistance to swelling and their high-temperature strength in Japan Atomic Energy Agency. It is very important to establish the materials strength standard in order to apply ODS steels as a fuel cladding. Therefore, it is necessary to acquire the mechanical properties such as tensile, creep rupture strength tests and so on. In this study, tensile and creep rupture strengths of 9Cr-ODS steel claddings were evaluated using by acquired these data. Because of the phase transformation temperature of 9Cr-ODS steel, temperature range for the evaluation was divided into two ones at AC1 transformation temperature of 850C.

Temperature effects on local structure, phase transformation, and mechanical properties of calcium silicate hydrates

Im, S.*; Jee, H.*; Suh, H.*; Kanematsu, Manabu*; Morooka, Satoshi; Koyama, Taku*; Nishio, Yuhei*; Machida, Akihiko*; Kim, J.*; Bae, S.*

Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 104(9), p.4803 - 4818, 2021/09

https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.17881