Unique deformation behavior of ultrafine-grained 304 stainless steel at 20 K

Mao, W.*; Gong, W.; 川崎 卓郎; Gao, S.*; 伊東 達矢; 山下 享介*; Harjo, S.; Zhao, L.*; Wang, Q.*

Scripta Materialia, 264, p.116726_1 - 116726_6, 2025/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scriptamat.2025.116726

An ultrafine-grained 304 austenitic stainless steel exhibited pronounced serrated Luders deformation at 20 K, with stress and temperature oscillations reaching 200 MPa and 20 K. neutron diffraction and digital image correlation revealed discontinuous Luders band propagation and burst martensite formation. During deformation, austenite phase stress remained lower than at upper yielding, indicating elastic behavior. Notably, martensite phase stress stayed lower than austenite until fracture, likely due to stress relaxation from burst martensitic transformation at 20 K. The low martensite stress delayed brittle fracture until austenite plastically yielded during uniform deformation.

Role of solute hydrogen on mechanical property enhancement in Fe-24Cr-19Ni austenitic steel; An neutron diffraction study

伊東 達矢; 小川 祐平*; Gong, W.; Mao, W.*; 川崎 卓郎; 岡田 和歩*; 柴田 曉伸*; Harjo, S.

Acta Materialia, 287, p.120767_1 - 120767_16, 2025/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2025.120767

Incorporating solute hydrogen into Fe-Cr-Ni-based austenitic stainless steels enhances both strength and ductility, providing a promising solution to hydrogen embrittlement by causing solid-solution strengthening and assisting deformation twinning. However, its impacts on the relevant lattice defects evolution (, dislocations, stacking faults, and twins) during deformation remains unclear. This study compared the tensile deformation behavior in an Fe-24Cr-19Ni (mass%) austenitic steel with 7600 atom ppm hydrogen-charged (H-charged) and without hydrogen-charged (non-charged) using neutron diffraction. Hydrogen effects on the lattice expansion, solid-solution strengthening, stacking fault probability, stacking fault energy, dislocation density, and strain/stress for twin evolution were quantitatively evaluated to link them with the macroscale mechanical properties. The H-charged sample showed improvements in yield stress, flow stress, and uniform elongation, consistent with earlier findings. However, solute hydrogen exhibited minimal influences on the evolution of dislocation and stacking fault. This fact contradicts the previous reports on hydrogen-enhanced dislocation and stacking fault evolutions, the latter of which can be responsible for the enhancement of twinning. The strain for twin evolution was smaller in the H-charged sample compared to the non-charged one. Nevertheless, when evaluated as the onset stress for twin evolution, there was minimal change between the two samples. These findings suggest that the increase in flow stress due to the solid-solution strengthening by hydrogen is a root cause of accelerated deformation twinning at a smaller strain, leading to an enhanced work-hardening rate and improved uniform elongation.

Elemental composition analysis of main structural materials of JMTR

永田 寛; 河内山 真美; 茅根 麻里奈; 菅谷 直人; 西村 嵐; 石川 譲二; 坂井 章浩; 井手 広史

JAEA-Data/Code 2024-016, 44 Pages, 2025/03

JAEA-Data-Code-2024-016.pdf:3.54MB

原子炉施設の構造材の元素組成は、廃止措置計画の策定などの際に評価を行う放射化計算において、重要なパラメータの一つとして使用されている。このうち、試験研究炉の構造材として使用されているアルミニウム合金などの元素組成については、主要成分以外の元素については十分なデータが得られていない。このことから、材料試験炉「JMTR」の主要な構造材として使用されてきたアルミニウム合金、ベリリウム、ハフニウムなどから試料を採取し、元素組成の分析を実施した。本報告書は、令和5年度に取得した78元素の元素組成データについてまとめたものである。

First freezing experiments with a molten mixture of boron carbide and stainless steel in core disruptive accidents of sodium-cooled fast reactors

江村 優軌; 松場 賢一; 菊地 晋; 山野 秀将

Proceedings of 13th Korea-Japan Symposium on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics and Safety (NTHAS13) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2024/11

Assuming the CDA of SFRs, the eutectic melting between BC as a control rod material and stainless steel (SS) as a structural material could occur below their melting points. After that, the mixture produced by eutectic melting between BC and SS (BC-SS mixture) would relocate inside or outside of the original core region. From the viewpoint of core reactivity changes, the relocation behavior of BC-SS mixture induced by its melting/freezing behavior, is one of the key elements to evaluate the CDA consequences. Many experimental studies on freezing behavior using core materials and its simulants, including molten UO, SS, tin, wood's metal have been reported in the past. Based on these experimental findings, the freezing/blockage model for the severe accident simulation code was established and discussed through analyses of freezing process. Specifically, it has been considered that the experimental correlation of melt-penetration length was a key indicator to quantitatively describe freezing behavior. However, there was no experimental data for the freezing behavior of actual BC-SS mixture. Therefore, the freezing experiments of BC-SS mixture were conducted to investigate the freezing and blockage behavior inside a flow path such as fuel pin bundle. In the freezing experiments, BC powder and SS block were heated up to around 1,750 K using a graphite heating furnace, then BC-SS mixture flowed down into an SS pipe for cooling below 750 K. The experimental results showed that the BC-SS mixture solidified and resulted in the blockage in the SS pipe with 4 mm or 6.7 mm in inner diameter, respectively. Furthermore, the observations for cross section of SS pipe suggested that the BC-SS mixture penetrated deeper than molten SS. This difference is considered to be influenced by decrease of the melting point.

Effects of loading direction on the anisotropic tensile properties of duplex stainless steels based on phase strains obtained by in situ neutron diffraction experiments

松下 慧*; 土田 紀之*; 石丸 詠一郎*; 平川 直樹*; Gong, W.; Harjo, S.

Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance, 33(13), p.6352 - 6361, 2024/07

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-023-08424-0

This study investigated the anisotropy of the tensile properties in a duplex stainless steel of 24Cr-5Ni-0.18N based on in situ neutron diffraction experiments. The 24Cr-5Ni-0.18N steel showed a better balance of tensile strength (TS) and uniform elongation (U.El) compared with 329J4L and 329J1 steels. The Lankford value (-value) of the 24Cr-5Ni-0.18N steel was comparable to other duplex stainless steels while showing a larger TS. Regarding the anisotropy of the mechanical properties, the results for a test specimen oriented at 45 showed a low yield strength (YS) and TS, but a better U.El and -value. The neutron diffraction results are discussed to explain the mechanical properties.

Effects of welding and constraint conditions on the welding residual stress and hardness of Type 316 stainless steel pipe

Li, S.; 山口 義仁; 勝山 仁哉; Li, Y.

Proceedings of ASME 2024 Pressure Vessels & Piping Conference (PVP 2024) (Internet), 8 Pages, 2024/07

https://doi.org/10.1115/PVP2024-122731

Flaws due to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) were recently detected in welded joints of austenitic stainless steel piping lines in pressurized water reactors. Welding-induced high hardness and tensile residual stress are known as one of the main factors affecting SCC. In this work, thermal-elastic-plastic coupled three-dimensional finite element analyses were performed to investigate the distributions of welding residual stress and hardness in butt-welded joints of Type 316 stainless steel. Different heat inputs were applied to the pipe welds, including normal heat input, high heat input and very high heat input. Two different constraint conditions were considered for the welded joints, i.e., both ends free or clamped, the latter indicating that the welded joint is constrained by the surrounding piping system. Simulation results were compared with experimental data such as welding thermal cycle, axial shrinkage and residual stress for validation. The effects of heat input and constraint condition on the welding residual stress and hardness at different sections of the welded joints including the weld start/end location were discussed in detail.

Microscopic insights of the extraordinary work-hardening due to phase transformation

Ma, Y.*; Naeem, M.*; Zhu, L.*; He, H.*; Sun, X.*; Yang, Z.*; He, F.*; Harjo, S.; 川崎 卓郎; Wang, X.-L.*

Acta Materialia, 270, p.119822_1 - 119822_13, 2024/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2024.119822

We report an in situ neutron diffraction study of 316 L that reveals an extraordinary work-hardening rate (WHR) of 7 GPa at 15 K. Detailed analyses show that the major contribution to the excellent strength and ductility comes from the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect, introduced by the austenite-to-martensite (-to-') phase transition. A dramatic increase in the WHR is observed along with the transformation; the WHR declined when the austenite phase is exhausted. During plastic deformation, the volume-fraction weighted phase stress and stress contribution from the '-martensite increase significantly. The neutron diffraction data further suggest that the -to-' phase transformation was mediated by the -martensite, as evidenced by the concurrent decline of the phase with the phase.

Estimating the corrosion rate of stainless steel R-SUS304ULC in nitric acid media under concentrating operation

入澤 恵理子; 加藤 千明

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 591, p.154914_1 - 154914_10, 2024/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.154914

核燃料再処理施設における濃縮運転時の溶液組成及び沸騰の変化を考慮して、オーステナイト系ステンレス鋼R-SUS304ULCの腐食量を評価した。オーステナイト系ステンレス鋼R-SUS304ULCは、日本の使用済燃料再処理施設の高放射性廃液濃縮装置の構造材料であり、濃縮運転時に腐食性の高い硝酸溶液を処理する。本研究の結果、カソード反応活性化によるステンレス鋼の腐食速度を加速する要因として、硝酸濃度、酸化性金属イオン濃度、減圧沸騰に着目する必要があることがわかった。

Establishing an evaluation method for the aging phenomenon by physical force in fuel debris

鈴木 誠矢; 荒井 陽一; 岡村 信生; 渡部 雅之

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 60(7), p.839 - 848, 2023/07

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2022.2159559

福島第一原子力発電所の事故で発生した燃料デブリは、溶融した核燃料物質と原子炉の構造材等で構成された酸化物が多くを占めているため、環境温度の変化により岩石のように劣化する可能性が高い。燃料デブリは10年以上水冷されているが、季節や昼夜の温度変化の影響を少なからず受けていることから、燃料デブリの経年変化挙動を評価するためには環境温度の変化を考慮することが不可欠である。仮に燃料デブリの劣化が進んでいる場合、微粉化した放射性物質が冷却水中に溶出して取出し作業に影響を及ぼす可能性がある。本研究では、環境温度の繰り返し変化がクラックの発生に与える影響に着目して、燃料デブリの模擬体を用いた加速試験を実施した。その結果、クラックは温度変化を重ねることで増加することを確認し、燃料デブリの簿擬態は熱膨張と収縮による応力により脆化することが判明した。燃料デブリの物理学的な劣化挙動は岩石や鉱物に類似していることが確認され、模擬燃料デブリと環境のモデルでクラックの増加挙動を予測することが可能となった。

放射光X線と中性子を相補的に用いた小口径突合せ溶接配管の実応力解析

鈴木 賢治*; 三浦 靖史*; 城 鮎美*; 豊川 秀訓*; 佐治 超爾*; 菖蒲 敬久; 諸岡 聡

材料, 72(4), p.316 - 323, 2023/04

https://doi.org/10.2472/jsms.72.316

Residual stresses in small-bore butt-welded pipe of austenitic stainless steel have never been measured. It is difficult to obtain a detailed residual stress map of the root welded part, because the gauge volume in neutron diffraction is large. The stress evaluation of the welded part by synchrotron X-rays was also difficult due to the dendritic structure. In this study, a double exposure method (DEM) with high-energy synchrotron X-rays was applied to measuring the details of the residual stress of the welded part, and we succeeded in obtaining the detailed axial and radius stress maps of the root welded part of the plate cut from the welded pipe, though the stress map was under the plane stress condition. The hoop stress map of the butt-welded pipe was obtained using the strain scanning method with neutrons under the triaxial stress state. The axial and radius stress maps under triaxial stress state were made up using the complementary use of the synchrotron X-ray and neutron. As a result, the detailed stress maps of the root welded part of the butt-welded pipe were obtained. The obtained map sufficiently explained the initiation and propagation of SCC.