IRRADIATION EMBRITTLEMENT OF REACTOR PRESSURE VESSEL STEELS DUE TO MECHANISMS OTHER THAN RADIATION HARDENING

摘要

Data on Russian pressure vessel steels in unirradiated, irradiated and annealed conditions are presented. The experimental methods applied included impact testing, fractography, electron microscopy and Auger spectroscopy. Contributions from different mechanisms to radiation embrittlement were evaluated. These studies enabled us to conclude that the major contribution to radiation induced ductile-to-brittle transitions temperature shift in Russian pressure vessel steels is delivered by mechanisms other than radiation hardening.