Failure Modes and Mechanisms in Nickel Alloys: Primarily Austenitic Stainless Steel.

摘要

Austenitic stainless steels and higher nickel alloys such as the Inconels are used extensively in the chemical and nuclear industries. This review will concentrate on their behavior in nuclear reactors because of the availability of information to the author. Emphasis is given to the failure modes and mechanisms occurring in the context of causal mechanisms and the implications of alloy composition. Major use is made of the austenitic steels both AISI 304 and 316 in United States nuclear plants. This is true for both boiling water reactors (BWRs) and pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Over the years there have been many failures in these materials where failure is defined as cracking, leaking, and, rarely, catastrophic breakage. This review will examine failure mechanisms such as stress corrosion cracking, both transgranular and intergranular, fatigue, including vibrational and thermal, and other corrosion-related failures. 16 refs., 12 figs.