Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking'

Cette étude porte sur l'évolution de la microstructure des aciers inoxydables austénitiques sous irradiation et les conséquences de cette évolution sur leur comportement en milieu REP. Un acier 304L a été irradié aux protons à 360°C à 5 et 10 dpa. Suite à ces irradiations, la sensibilité du matériau à l'IASCC a été étudiée en milieu primaire simulé à 350°C, avec suivi par microextensométrie des champs locaux de déformation. Parallèlement à ce travail, des lames minces ont été irradiées in situ aux ions Ni++ à 500°C jusqu'à 2 dpa avec implantation simultanée d'hélium. Ces expérimentations nous ont permis (i) grâce au couplage microstructure /champs mécaniques /fissuration de mieux comprendre les paramètres responsables de l'amorçage de l'IASCC en milieu réducteur (ii) de définir le rôle joué par l'hélium sur l'évolution des défauts d'irradiation. Il s'avère que, dans les conditions d'étude, l'implantation d'hélium n'a qu'un effet limité sur les populations de boucles de dislocation et de cavités pour des rapports inférieurs à 800 appm He/dpa. Des cavités ont été observées avec et sans implantation d'hélium, y compris dans les joints de grains ce qui pourrait être un facteur de fragilisation. L'ensemble des essais de corrosion sous contrainte ont validé que la densité de fissures augmente avec l'augmentation du taux de déformation et qu'un chargement séquentiel conduit à une plus grande ouverture et propagation en surface des fissures. Ces fissures se propagent en profondeur dans la couche irradiée notamment du fait de la surcontrainte générée par le fort gradient de propriétés entre la zone irradiée et non irradiée du matériau. Les mécanismes de déformation activés sont complexes et du maclage a été observé après 2 et 10% de déformation macroscopique. La déformation après irradiation est fortement localisée sous forme de bandes intragranulaires et autour de certains joints de grains, mais la déformation de ces joints ne semble pas constituer un critère d'amorçage. L'absence de transmission de la déformation de part et d'autre des joints fissurés est par contre systématiquement observée et la connaissance de l'état de contrainte local s'avère indispensable pour décrire l'amorçage de l'IASCC en milieu réducteur. Une méthodologie basée sur l'exploitation des résultats expérimentaux (champs d'orientation cristallographique, champs cinématique) appliquée à une simulation aux éléments finis permet d'estimer l'état local de contrainte, seul à même de discriminer un critère d'ouverture de fissure
This work deals with the microstructure evolution of austenitic stainless steels under irradiation and the consequences of this evolution on their behavior in PWR environment. 304L steel was proton-irradiated at 360°C to 5 and 10 dpa. Following these irradiations, IASCC was studied in a 350°C simulated primary water, with strain fields measurements using digital image correlation. In parallel, thin foils were irradiated in situ with Ni++ ions at 500°C up to 2 dpa with simultaneous helium implantation. These experiments allowed us (i) to have a better understanding of the key parameters responsible of the IASCC initiation in reducing environment thanks to the coupling between microstructure, mechanical fields and cracking (ii) to define the role of helium on the nucleation and evolution of radiation defects. It turns out that, in the studied conditions, the implantation of helium has only a limited effect on the dislocation loop and cavity populations for ratios lower than 800 appm He/dpa. Cavities were observed with and without helium, including in the grain boundaries which could be a factor of embrittlement. The stress corrosion cracking tests resulted in an increase of the crack density with the increase of the macroscopic deformation and in a bigger opening and on-surface propagation of cracks after a sequential loading. These cracks propagate deeply in the irradiated layer partly because of the overstress generated by the strong gradient of mechanical properties between the irradiated and non-irradiated zones of the material. The activated deformation mechanisms are complex and twinning was observed after 2 and 10% of macroscopic deformation. The deformation after irradiation is strongly localized in transgranular bands and around some grain boundaries, but it appears that the strong deformation around boundaries is not an initiation criterion. Deformation discontinuity on both sides of cracked boundaries is systematically observed and evaluation of the local stress state appears to be essential to describe IASCC initiation. This local stress state could be calculated by finite elements, taking into account the experimental results in terms of crystallographic orientation fields or Kinematics fields strong heterogeneity of local deformation quantified in this work

Le superalliage base nickel 718 est réputé pour présenter une excellente tenue à la corrosion, une très forte résistancemécanique et une bonne tenue sous irradiation. De ce fait, il s’agit d’un matériau de choix au sein d’un réacteur électronucléaire pour les pièces soumises à des sollicitations extrêmes (ressorts, systèmes de maintien. . . ).Pourtant des ruptures en service ont été observées de ce matériau sous le phénomène de corrosion sous contraintes assistée par l’irradiation. La présente thèse vise à apporter de nouveaux éléments de compréhension de ce phénomène complexe sous l’angle de la modélisation numérique. Le processus de fissuration par corrosion sous contrainte est modélisé par la méthode des champs de phase. Une implémentation unifiée, apte à traiter lesfissurations intra et intergranulaires, est proposée et permet de coupler efficacement différentes échelles de travail (du milieu continu au polycristal) et différents physiques (mécanique des milieux continus et généralisés et oxydation interne). Cette modélisation permet de proposer des simulations des étapes complexes de la corrosion sous contrainte, à savoirl’amorçage, la coalescence et la propagation
Inconel 718 alloy is renowned for having excellent corrosion resistance, very high mechanical strength and good resistance to irradiation. Thus, it is a material of choice within a nuclear power reactor for parts subjected to extreme stresses (springs, retaining systems,...). However, failures in service have been observed in this material under irradiationassisted stress corrosion cracking phenomenon. This thesis aims to bring new elements of understanding of this complex phenomenon from the point of view of numerical modeling. The stress corrosion cracking process is modeled by the phase field fracture method. A unified implementation, able to deal with inter and intergranular fracture, is proposedand allows to couple efficiently different scales of work (from continuous medium to polycrystal) and different physics (mechanics of continuous and generalized media and internal oxidation). This modeling allows to propose simulations of the complex stages of stress corrosion cracking, namely initiation, coalescence and propagation

In this work, Slow Strain Rate Test (SSRT) testing, Light Optical Microscopy (LOM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to study the effect of micro-structure, corrosive environments and cathodic polarisation on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of two grades of high strength steels, Type A and Type B. Type A is manufactured by quench and tempered (Q&T) method. Type B, a normalize steel was used as reference. This study also supports electrochemical polarisation resistance method as an effective testing technique for measuring the uniform corrosion rate. SSRT samples were chosen from base metal, weld metal and Heat Affected Zone (HAZ). SSRT tests were performed at room temperature under free corrosion potential and cathodic polarisation using 4 mA/cm2 in 1 wt% and 3.5 wt% NaCl solutions. From the obtained corrosion rate measurements performed in 1 wt% and 3.5 wt% NaCl solutions it was observed that increased chloride concentration and dissolved oxygen content enhanced the uniform corrosion for all tested materials. Moreover, the obtained results from SSRT tests demonstrate that both Q&T and normalized steels were not susceptible to SCC in certain strain rate(1×10-6s-1) in 1 wt% and 3.5 wt% NaCl solutions under free corrosion potential. It was con-firmed by a ductile fracture mode and high reduction in area. The weld metal of Type A with acicular ferrite (AF), pro-eutectoid (PF) and bainite microstructure showed higher susceptibility to hydrogen assisted stress corrosion cracking compared to base metal and HAZ. In addition, typical brittle intergranular cracking with small reduction in area was observed on the fracture surface of the Type A due to hydrogen charging.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008.
Committee Co-Chair: Preet M. Singh; Committee Co-Chair: Richard W. Neu; Committee Member: Hamid Garmestani; Committee Member: Timothy Patterson; Committee Member: W. Steven Johnson.

L’IASCC est un mécanisme de fissuration intergranulaire par corrosion sous contrainte (IGCSC) induite par l'irradiation. C’est un phénomène complexe qui peut avoir une influence significative sur le temps et le coût de maintenance des composants internes du coeur des réacteurs à eau pressurisée (REP) et est donc un sujet d'intérêt. Des études récentes ont proposé d'utiliser l'irradiation aux ions (protons) comme une alternative à l'irradiation neutronique afin d’améliorer la compréhension du mécanisme. L'objectif de cette thèse est d’étudier la sensibilité à la fissuration de l’acier austénitique SA 304L irradié aux ions ainsi que les facteurs contribuant à cette fissuration. Deux types d’irradiations aux ions ont été menées (fer et aux protons). Ces deux irradiations ont générées des défauts ponctuels dans la microstructure représentatifs de ceux crées par les neutrons provoquant ainsi le durcissement de l’acier austénitique 304L. Matériel (non irradié et le fer irradié) n'a montré aucune sensibilité à la fissuration intergranulaire sur la soumission à un essai de traction lente SSRT (Slow Strain Rate Test) commencer avec une vitesse de déformation de 5 × 10-8 s-1 jusqu'à 4% de déformation plastique dans un environnement inerte. Il est montré que les deux types d’irradiation aux ions (fer et protons) augmentent la sensibilité à la fissuration intergranulaire du matériau après un essai de SSRT dans un environnement simulé de REP à 340 ° C. La corrélation entre la sensibilité de fissuration et le degré de localisation de la déformation plastique a été étudiée. L’impact de l'irradiation aux ions fer sur l'oxydation du 304L a été aussi étudié grâce à des essais effectués pendant 360 h dans un milieu REP à 340 ° C. Les résultats de cette thèse indiquent que la fissuration intergranulaire de l'acier inoxydable 304L en milieu REP peut être étudiée en utilisant l'irradiation Fe malgré sa faible profondeur de pénétration dans le matériau. Par ailleurs, il est montré que le comportement vis-à-vis de la fissuration est similaire entre une irradiation aux protons et au fer, et ceux malgré une localisation de la déformation moins importante pour ces derniers. Par conséquent, l’irradiation au fer est utilisée pour étudier l'impact de la préparation de surface et des chemins de déformation sur la sensibilité de la fissuration intergranulaire de l’acier 304L
IASCC is irradiation – assisted enhancement of intergranular stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of austenitic stainless steel. It is a complex degrading phenomenon which can have a significant influence on maintenance time and cost of PWRs’ core internals and hence, is an issue of concern. Recent studies have proposed using ion irradiation (to be specific, proton irradiation) as an alternative of neutron irradiation to improve the current understanding of the mechanism. The objective of this study was to investigate the cracking susceptibility of irradiated SA 304L and factors contributing to cracking, using two different ion irradiations; iron and proton irradiations. Both resulted in generation of point defects in the microstructure and thereby causing hardening of the SA 304L. Material (unirradiated and iron irradiated) showed no susceptibility to intergranular cracking on subjection to SSRT with a strain rate of 5 × 10-8 s-1 up to 4 % plastic strain in inert environment. But, irradiation (iron and proton) was found to increase intergranular cracking severity of material on subjection to SSRT in simulated PWR primary water environment at 340 °C. Correlation between the cracking susceptibility and degree of localization was studied. Impact of iron irradiation on bulk oxidation of SA 304L was studied as well by conducting an oxidation test for 360 h in simulated PWR environment at 340 °C. The findings of this study indicate that the intergranular cracking of 304L stainless steel in PWR environment can be studied using Fe irradiation despite its small penetration depth in material. Furthermore, it has been shown that the cracking was similar in both iron and proton irradiated samples despite different degrees of localization. Lastly, on establishing iron irradiation as a successful tool, it was used to study the impact of surface finish and strain paths on intergranular cracking susceptibility of the material

Stress corrosion, SC, in some cases gives rise to stress corrosion cracking, SCC, which differs from purely stress intensity driven cracks in many aspects. They initiate and grow under the influence of an aggressive environment in a stressed substrate. They grow at low load and may branch. The phenomenon of SCC is very complex, both the initiation phase and crack extension itself of SCC is seemingly associated with arbitrariness due to the many unknown factors controlling the process. Such factors could be concentration of species in the environment, stress, stress concentration, electrical conditions, mass transport, and so on.In the present thesis, chemically assisted crack initiation and growth is studied with special focus on the initiation and branching of cracks. Polycarbonate plates are used as substrates subjected to an acetone environment. Experimental procedures for examining initiation and branching in polycarbonate are presented. An optical microscope is employed to study the substrate.The attack at initiation is quantified from pits found on the surface, and pits that act as origin for cracks is identified and the distribution is analysed. A growth criterion for surface cracks is formulated from the observations, and it is used to numerically simulate crack growth. The cracks are seen to coalesce, and this phenomenon is studied in detail. Branching sites of cracks growing in the bulk of polycarbonate are inspected at the sample surface. It is found that the total width of the crack branches are approximately the same as the width of the original crack. Also, angles of the branches are studied. Further, for comparison the crack growth in the bulk is simulated using a moving boundary problem based algorithm and similar behaviour of crack branching is found.

Ce travail s’inscrit dans le contexte d’une meilleure prédiction de la durée de vie de structures soumises au risque d’amorçage et de propagation de fissures multiples de corrosion sous contrainte (CSC). Ainsi, en développant une méthodologie expérimentale originale basée sur des mesures conjointes de corrélation d’images numériques (DIC), d’émission acoustique (EA) et de bruit électrochimique (EN), et leur analyse, ce travail vise à contribuer à l’amélioration de la compréhension des mécanismes impliqués dans le développement de colonies de fissures courtes de CSC qui interagissent entre elles, et à la simulation du comportement de cette colonie. Le choix de conditions optimales de traitement thermique d’un alliage base-Ni et de pH d’une solution de polythionate, a permis la maitrise des paramètres géométriques et morphologiques de colonies de fissures intergranulaires, qui ont été investiguées par DIC grâce à l’optimisation d’une préparation de surface adaptée. Les différentes phases de propagation d’une fissure unique et d’une colonie de fissures ont été identifiées, de même que les mécanismes associés, par des expérimentations et analyses réalisées en 2D et en 3D. Cette approche expérimentale innovante a permis de poser les bases d’une approche numérique puis de la valider. Un focus particulier a été porté sur l’EN au travers d’une analyse critique des perturbations engendrées par le bruit de l’instrumentation et par l’asymétrie du système d’étude. Les limitations de la technique pour son application à l’étude quantitative de la corrosion sous contrainte ont été évaluées sur la base des résultats de l’étude. Une transposition de la démarche expérimentale à hautes pressions et températures est proposée comme perspective à court terme de ce travail, qui permet également d’envisager la prise en compte de différents modes de propagation des fissures en lien avec la microstructure du matériau dans l’approche numérique
This work concerns with the current needs of enhancing the tools used for predicting the remnant lifetime of structures subjected to the risk of initiation and propagation of multiple stress corrosion cracks (SCC). The approach consists in developing an original experimental methodology based on joint measurements of digital image correlation (DIC), acoustic emission (EA) and electrochemical noise (EN). The final objective is to contribute to both the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the development of interacting short stress corrosion cracks and to the modeling of the colony behavior. The choice of optimal conditions for the heat treatment of a Nickel-base alloy and for the pH of a polythionate solution allowed controlling the morphological parameters of intergranular cracks colonies, which were investigated by DIC owning to an optimized suitable surface treatment. The different propagation stages of a single crack and some colonies were identified, together with the involved mechanisms, through experiments and analyses performed in 2D and 3D. This innovative experimental approach allowed settling the basements of the numerical modeling and validating it. A particular attention was focused on EN measurements through a critical analysis of the perturbations generated by the instrumental noise and the asymmetry of the studied system. The limitations of the technique for its application to the quantitative study of SCC were evaluated on the basis of the present results. A transposal of the experimental approach towards high temperature and pressure conditions of test was finally proposed as a short-term prospect of this work, also allowing considering other modes of crack propagation linked to the material microstructure in the numerical approach

The majority of UK’s intermediate level radioactive waste is currently stored in 316L and 304L austenitic stainless steel containers in interim storage facilities for permanent disposal until a geological disposal facility has become available. The structural integrity of stainless steel canisters is required to persevere against environmental degradation for up to 500 years to assure a safe storage and disposal scheme. Hitherto existing severe localised corrosion observances on real waste storage containers after 10 years of exposure to an ambient atmosphere in an in-land warehouse in Culham at Oxfordshire, however, questioned the likelihood occurrence of stress corrosion cracking that may harm the canister’s functionality during long-term storage. The more corrosion resistant duplex stainless steel grade 2205, therefore, has been started to be manufactured as a replacement for the austenitic grades. Over decades, the threshold stress corrosion cracking temperature of austenitic stainless steels has been believed to be 50-60°C, but lab- and field-based research has shown that 304L and 316L may suffer from atmospheric stress corrosion cracking at ambient temperatures. Such an issue has not been reported to occur for the 2205 duplex steel, and its atmospheric stress corrosion cracking behaviour at low temperatures (40-50°C) has been sparsely studied which requires detailed investigations in this respect. Low temperature atmospheric stress corrosion cracking investigations on 2205 duplex stainless steel formed the framework of this PhD thesis with respect to the waste storage context. Long-term surface magnesium chloride deposition exposures at 50°C and 30% relative humidity for up to 15 months exhibited the occurrence of stress corrosion cracks, showing stress corrosion susceptibility of 2205 duplex stainless steel at 50°C.The amount of cold work increased the cracking susceptibility, with bending deformation being the most critical type of deformation mode among tensile and rolling type of cold work. The orientation of the microstructure deformation direction, i.e. whether the deformation occurred in transverse or rolling direction, played vital role in corrosion and cracking behaviour, as such that bending in transverse direction showed almost 3-times larger corrosion and stress corrosion cracking propensity. Welding simulation treatments by ageing processes at 750°C and 475°C exhibited substantial influences on the corrosion properties. It was shown that sensitisation ageing at 750°C can render the material enhanced susceptible to stress corrosion cracking at even low chloride deposition densities of ≤145 µm/cm². However, it could be shown that short-term heat treatments at 475°C can decrease corrosion and stress corrosion cracking susceptibility which may be used to improve the materials performance. Mechanistic understanding of stress corrosion cracking phenomena in light of a comprehensive microstructure characterisation was the main focus of this thesis.

Environmentally Assisted cracking (EAC) is a very critical materials science problem that concerns many technological areas such as petrochemical engineering, aerospace operations and nuclear power generation, in which cracking or sudden failure of materials may happen at stress far below the tensile strength. This type of corrosion is initiated at the microscopic level and is complicated due to the combination of chemistry (reaction caused by corrosive agents) and mechanics (varying load). As EAC is generally related to the segregation of impurity elements to defects (mainly grain boundaries), the symptoms of risk may not be apparent from the exterior of the metal components: hence EAC remains latent and gives no sign of warning until the failure occurs. Due to its intricate nature, conducting experiments on this phenomenon involves difficulties and requires much effort. In this work, we employed advanced molecular simulation techniques to study EAC in order to give insight into its atomistic behavior. First, Density-Functional Theory (DFT) method was used to investigate the fundamental processes and mechanism of EAC-related issues at the nanoscale level, with two case studies concerning the stress corrosion in iron and hydrogen embrittlement in palladium. When segregating to the grain boundary (GB) of iron, different impurity elements such as sulfur, phosphorus and nitrogen raise corrosion failures in a variety of ways. Hydrogen atoms, due to their mobility and small atomic size, are able to form high occupation at crystal defects, but show different interactions to vacancy and GB. Then, we used the classical Molecular Dynamics (MD) method to gain an understanding of the dynamic response of materials to mechanical load and the effects of temperature, strain and extreme conditions (high pressure shock compression) on structural properties. The MD simulations show that hydrogen maintains the highest localization at grain boundaries in the vicinity of ambient temperatures, and grain boundaries are the preferred nucleation sites for dislocations and voids. This computational work, using DFT and MD techniques, is expected to contribute to the better understanding on chemistry and mechanisms of complex environment-assisted cracking phenomenon at a fundamental level in order to beneficially complement conventional laboratory approaches.

博士
國立清華大學
工程與系統科學系
93
Developing the model for simulating radiation induced segregation (RIS) process, investigating the effect of proton irradiation on RIS and stress corrosion cracking propagation are the objectives of this study. The RIS model which is based on inverse Kirkendall effect incorporates radiation damage rate effect, atom-defect coupling effect, and interstitial-vacancy pair loss term toward dislocations, and therefore can predicts the RIS concentration profile of irradiated SEN304SS and AR304SS reasonably. According to the thermodynamic parameters benchmarked in proton irradiation data, the updated RIS can be extended to evaluate the Cr depletion evolution in neutron irradiated materials. Experimental works include proton irradiations on SEN304SS and AR304SS in tandem accelerator, grain boundary microchemistry examinations by FEG-TEM/EDX, SCC crack growth rate measurements by RDC and ECN techniques. The repassivation kinetics is analyzed for elucidating the cracking mechanism of irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking. Electrochemical noise technique failed to measure the propagation of stress corrosion crack, both under load application by passive bolt loaded and active tension loaded. Applying ZrO2 coating to shielding extra surface, and shorten the distance between counter and working electrodes made no improvements. The anodic current in crack tip was probably consumed on the crack flank, or couldn’t flow out toward counter electrode because of high impedance of the testing solution. Reversing DC techniques successfully measured the crack propagation of proton irradiated stainless steels. The crack growth rate is enhanced by proton irradiation, but also affected by prior heat treatments. The Cr depletion rate was enhanced by irradiation when initial grain boundary Cr concentration was enriched before irradiation (in SA condition), but radiation induced Cr decrement developed more slowly if the initial Cr concentration was depleted (in SEN condition). The intergranular crack growth rate of proton irradiated SS correlates linearly with the Cr concentration at grain boundary regardless of its prior thermal or irradiation histories. The EPR value can be treated as a qualitative indicator to evaluate the crack growth rate of proton irradiated SS304 with different prior thermal treatments. In simulating BWR environments of oxygen saturated or normal water chemistry, Irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking are affected by radiation sensitization, solution conductivity and ECP. The protection ECP is -200mVSHE for proton irradiated SEN304 stainless steel. The IASCC growth rate was reasonably predicted by PLEDGE model which was developed on the basis of film rupture/metal dissolution mechanism. Repassivation kinetics analysis verified that radiation sensitization alter the repassivation ability and consequently enhance the stress corrosion crack propagation. The crack growth rate of proton irradiated stainless steel can be predicted by converting the repassivation current according to film rupture/metal dissolution model. However, irradiation affects not only repassivation current, but also film rupture frequency. Three future studies are suggested. 1. Increase the radiation dose and irradiation depth. Investigate the effect of higher radiation dose on the SCC cracking behavior. 2. Refine RIS model by considering thermal and radiation sensitization coupling effect, FMD source term, and incorporating high dose effect of creep and void. 3. Perform the SCC test of irradiated stainless steel at various temperatures.