Based on the M5®* alloy metallurgy, the Q12™ alloy (Zr-1Nb-0.5Sn-0.1Fe) was developed by AREVA NP for structural components, with ultra-low tin addition and slightly increased iron content. The behavior of this alloy was tested under irradiation in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) and has shown improvement in irradiation creep strength and similar free growth compared with M5. This paper provides results on dimensional stability and details the microstructural evolution of the Q12 alloy under neutron irradiation in PWRs.
The Q12 microstructural evolution under irradiation was studied for fast neutron fluences up to 13 × 1025 n/m2 (E > 1 MeV) with analytical transmission electron microscopy observations. We focused on radiation-enhanced needle-like particles, Laves phases, and the linear density of -component loops. These results are compared with other quaternary zirconium-niobium-tin-iron alloys and with M5. All these results allow a general discussion about microstructural evolution and behavior under irradiation of quaternary-type alloys compared to M5 alloy. This study, in agreement with previous works on Zr-1Nb and quaternary alloys, seems to show that increasing the iron content with the presence of niobium and tin will decrease the -component loop linear density and delay the growth breakaway.
Author Information
Doriot, Sylvie
CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, DEN, Service de Recherches Métallurgiques Appliquées, Gif-sur-Yvette, FR
Verhaeghe, Bénédicte
CEA, Université Paris Saclay, DEN, Service d'Etude des Matériaux Irradiés, Gif-sur-Yvette, FR
Soniak-Defresne, Annie
CEA, Université Paris Saclay, DEN, Service d'Etude des Matériaux Irradiés, Gif-sur-Yvette, FR
Bossis, Philippe
CEA, Université Paris Saclay, DEN, Service d'Etude des Matériaux Irradiés, Gif-sur-Yvette, FR
Gilbon, Didier
CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, DEN, Département des Matériaux pour le Nucléaire, Gif-sur-Yvette, FR
Chabretou, Valérie
AREVA NP, Fuel Business Unit, Lyon Cedex 06, FR
Mardon, Jean-Paul
AREVA NP, Fuel Business Unit, Lyon Cedex 06, FR
Ton-That, Marc
Electricité de France, DIN Septen, Villeurbanne Cedex, FR
Ambard, Antoine
Electricité de France, R&D Division, Materials and Mechanics of Components, Les Renardières, Moret sur Loing, Cedex, FR
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