Nuclear Materials and Energy (Mar 2023)
Slow strain rate testing of Fe-10Cr-4Al ferritic steel in liquid lead and lead–bismuth eutectic
Abstract
The susceptibility of Fe-10Cr-4Al steel to liquid metal embrittlement (LME) in low oxygen liquid lead and lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) environments has been investigated using a newly developed slow strain rate testing (SSRT) technique that can be employed at elevated temperatures. This study showed that the Fe-10Cr-4Al steel suffered embrittlement when exposed to LBE over a wide temperature range. The embrittlement, here measured as a reduction in fracture strain, was observed at the melting temperature of LBE and reached a maximum at approximately 375 °C. At temperatures above 425 °C, the material's ductility regained its original levels. The exposures in liquid lead showed no indications of embrittlement, but a ductile behavior over the entire temperature range studied (340–480 °C).
