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Crystal structure and mechanical properties of the precipitate phase inducing embrittlement of nuclear reactor pressure vessel steels

Research Project

Project/Area Number 16K06767
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeMulti-year Fund
Section一般
Research Field Structural/Functional materials
Research InstitutionKumamoto University (2018)
Tohoku University (2016)

Principal Investigator

Matsukawa Yoshitaka  熊本大学, 大学院先端科学研究部(工), 准教授 (70566356)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) 牟田 浩明  大阪大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (60362670)
Research Collaborator SUZUDO Tomoaki  
YAMAGUCHI Masatake  
Project Period (FY) 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
Budget Amount *help
¥4,810,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,110,000)
Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Keywords軽水炉 / 寿命 / 圧力容器 / 脆化 / 析出 / 原子力材料 / 析出物 / 状態図 / 金属間化合物 / 核形成 / 組成 / 固溶限 / 強度・破壊靭性
Outline of Final Research Achievements

The G-phase (Ni16Si7Mn6) is an intermetallic compound that precipitates in the form of nano particles in steels constituting the pressure vessel of nuclear reactors exposed to neutron irradiation for many years, causing their embrittlement, resulting in limiting the lifetime of entire power plants. Physical properties of the G-phase have been measured, for the first time, by using its single-phase ingot fabricated by means of arc melting. The G-phase was found to be brittle, and softer than iron in terms of the shear modulus. The melting point was found to be largely different from that shown in a calculation phase diagram, by as much as 700 degrees, indicating that existing thermodynamic database of the G-phase may not be correct. Based on this serendipitous discovery, the free energy of the G-phase has been attempted to determine by both experiments and ab initio calculations, with consideration of a magnetic phase transition where the G-phase becomes anti-ferromagnetic below 200 K.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で得られた知見は、軽水炉圧力容器の脆化寿命予測に現在使用されているモデル(JEAC4201-2013)を、金属物理学の学術的観点から補強する。このモデルでは、脆化の要因となる照射誘起析出物と照射欠陥クラスタの形成量を照射時間の関数として計算し、オロワン機構やラッセルブラウン機構に基づいて材料の硬化量を導出し、それが臨界値に達したとき脆化に至ると仮定されている(Ludwig-Davidenkov-Orowan仮説)。硬化量は析出物(G相)がマトリックス(Fe)の剛性率の比に比例する。また、析出物の熱力学的データが正確でなければ、析出速度(駆動力)の見積もりに影響が生じるということになる。

Report

(3 results)
  • 2018 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report ( PDF )
  • 2016 Research-status Report
  • Research Products

    (9 results)

All 2018 2017 2016 Other

All Journal Article (3 results) (of which Peer Reviewed: 3 results,  Open Access: 1 results) Presentation (5 results) (of which Int'l Joint Research: 2 results,  Invited: 2 results) Remarks (1 results)

  • [Journal Article] Crystallographic analysis on atomic-plane parallelisms between bcc precipitates and hcp matrix in recrystallized Zr-2.5Nb alloys2017

    • Author(s)
      Y. Matsukawa, I. Okuma, H. Muta, Y. Shinohara, R. Suzue, H.L. Yang, T. Maruyama, T. Toyama, J.J. Shen, Y.F. Li, Y. Satoh, S. Yamanaka, H. Abe
    • Journal Title

      Acta Materialia

      Volume: 126 Pages: 86-101

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.actamat.2016.12.053

    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Journal Article] Reassessment of oxidation-induced amorphization and dissolution of Nb precipitates in Zr-Nb nuclear fuel cladding tubes.2017

    • Author(s)
      Y. Matsukawa, S. Kitayama, K. Murakami, Y. Shinohara, K. Yoshida, H. Maeno, H.L. Yang, T. Toyama, K. Yasuda, H. Watanabe, A. Kimura, H. Muta, S. Yamanaka, Y.F. Li, Y. Satoh, S. Kano
    • Journal Title

      Acta Materialia

      Volume: 127 Pages: 153-164

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.actamat.2017.01.032

    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
  • [Journal Article] The two-step nucleation of G-phase in ferrite2016

    • Author(s)
      Y. Matsukawa, T. Takeuchi, Y. Kakubo, T. Suzudo, H. Watanabe, H. Abe, T. Toyama, Y. Nagai
    • Journal Title

      Acta Materialia

      Volume: 116 Pages: 104-113

    • DOI

      10.1016/j.actamat.2016.06.013

    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report
    • Peer Reviewed
  • [Presentation] G 相(Ni16Si7Mn6)の物性測定と結晶構造解析: 軽水炉圧力容器の脆化寿命予測の高精度化に資する基礎研究2018

    • Author(s)
      松川義孝、山口正剛、本間佳哉、中森文博、牟田浩明、井藤大智、大石佑治、小林能直
    • Organizer
      日本原子力学会秋の大会
    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] 冷間強加工中の析出物のオストワルド成長: 動く転位を介した超高速パイプ拡散の可能性について2018

    • Author(s)
      松川義孝、大熊一平、阿部弘亨
    • Organizer
      日本金属学会秋期大会
    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
  • [Presentation] The theory of precipitation hardening revisited: the effect of crystal structure on the obstacle strength2018

    • Author(s)
      Yoshitaka Matsukawa
    • Organizer
      CIMTEC 2018 - 14th International Ceramics Congress & 8th Forum on New Materials
    • Related Report
      2018 Annual Research Report
    • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
  • [Presentation] The Two-step Nucleation of G-phase in Ferrite: The Critical Size and Composition for the Structural Change of Solute Clusters2017

    • Author(s)
      Y. Matsukawa, T. Takeuchi, Y. Kakubo, T. Suzudo, H. Watanabe, H. Abe, T. Toyama, Y. Nagai
    • Organizer
      The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2017 Annual Meeting
    • Place of Presentation
      San Diego, USA
    • Year and Date
      2017-02-26
    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report
    • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
  • [Presentation] フェライトにおけるG相の二段階核形成:臨界サイズと臨界組成2016

    • Author(s)
      松川義孝、永井康介、武内伴照
    • Organizer
      日本鉄鋼協会
    • Place of Presentation
      大阪
    • Year and Date
      2016-09-21
    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report
  • [Remarks] 東北大学 金属材料研究所 原子力材料工学研究部門 ホームページ

    • URL

      http://nuclmater.imr.tohoku.ac.jp/topics.html

    • Related Report
      2016 Research-status Report

URL: 

Published: 2016-04-21   Modified: 2020-03-30  

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