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Research Progress
Ferritic/Martensitic Heat-resistant Steels for Nuclear Facilities
2018-08-17        |        【print

Ferritic/martensitic heat-resistant steels for nuclear facilities are basically 9-12%Cr reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels and their corresponding 9-12%Cr oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels. Ferritic/martensitic heat-resistant steels for nuclear facilities are subject to high quality special steels and usually used in such extreme environments as high temperature, radiation, and/or liquid metal corrosion. Thus, the main topics in this research field focus on two aspects: (1) The preparation of such high quality ferritic/martensitic steels for nuclear facilities, including super clean melting and optimum of the powder metallurgical process for ODS steels; (2) The mechanisms of microstructure evolution and mechanical property degradation for these critical ferritic/martensitic steels under the circumstances of either single extreme situation or complicated coupled conditions, which include the response of the microstructure components such as precipitates to the irritation of those severe external environments, for example, high temperature and strong radiation; the degeneration of mechanical properties under the multiply coupled critical environments, and the corresponding evaluation system; the corrosion behaviors on the surface of ferritic/martensitic steels in liquid Lead-Bismuth solution at elevated temperatures. Based on this above research, we design alloy compositions, optimize preparation process, explore surface modification methods, and then develop high quality heat resistant steels with low activation and good resistance to high temperature, neutron radiation and corrosion of liquid metals. Meanwhile, we develop the pertinent surface protecting skills against the liquid metals as well. In addition, we also predict the life expectancy and evaluate the security of the in-service nuclear ferritic/martensitic steels life expectancy and evaluate the security of in-service ferritic/martensitic steels in nuclear facilities.

Oxidation Corrosion of the SIMP steel for nuclear facilities in the static LBE at elevated temperature

SEM images showing the morphologies of the cross section after corrosion in the static oxygen saturated LBE at 600oC for different times.
(a)500h, (b)1000h, (c)3000h (d)5000h

EDX maps showing the distribution of elements on the oxidation layer of the SIMP steel after corrosion in the static oxygen saturated LBE at 600oC for 5000h.


Nano Y-Ti-O oxides in an ODS steel for fusion nuclear reactors, resulting in excellent microstructure stability

Dispersive Y-Ti-O nanoparticles in an ODS steel

Excellent microstructure stability shown by EBSD grain boundary maps

 

CAS Key Laboratory of Nuclear Materials and Safety Assessment

Copyright    Institute of Metal Research Chinese Academy of Sciences