Mechanical Properties of Types 304 and 316 Stainless Steel after Long-Term Aging and Exposure

摘要

Because designs for Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR) power plants include plant lifetimes to 40 years, an understanding of the mechanical behavior of the structural alloys used is required for times of approx. 2 to 2.5 x 10 exp 5 h. Most of the alloys used for LMFBR out-of-core structures and components are in a metastable state at the beginning of plant lifetime and evolve to a more stable state and, therefore, microstructure during plant operation. We reviewed mechanical properties and microstructures after prolonged elevated-temperature exposure of types 304 and 316 stainless steel, two alloys used extensively in fast breeder systems. Aging alters properties; in particular, it decreases toughness and tensile ductility, but the properties are still adequate for service. Because stable microstructures have been reached in long-term exposures achieved so far, properties can be expected to remain adequate for service life exposures. (ERA citation 09:006150)