Phase Stability in the Fe-Rich Fe-Cr-Ni-Zr Alloys

Tianyi Chen, Ying Yang, Lizhen Tan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Knowledge on phase stability in Fe-rich Fe-Cr-Ni-Zr alloys is needed for the development of Laves phase strengthened Fe-Cr-Ni-Zr ferritic alloys. These alloys show promising applications as new cladding materials of nuclear reactors due to enhanced high-temperature strength and resistance to creep and irradiation hardening. Phase stability in four Fe-rich Fe-Cr-Ni-Zr alloys was carefully investigated using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The samples were arc-melted and heat treated at 973.15 K (700 °C) for 1275 hours and 1273.15 K (1000 °C) for 336 hours. The experimental results showed extensive solubility of Ni in the intermetallic phases Fe23Zr6 and Fe2Zr_C15. Nickel stabilizes the Laves Fe2Zr_C15 structure more than the C36 and C14 structures. In addition to Fe23Zr6 and Fe2Zr_C15, Ni7Zr2 was found to be stable in samples with higher Ni content and lower annealing temperature. The Fe2Zr_C15 and Fe23Zr6 coexist with the body-centered cubic matrix phase in all samples regardless of compositions and temperatures.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5009-5016
Number of pages8
JournalMetallurgical and Materials Transactions A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science
Volume48
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2017

Funding

The material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy, a Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies FY2015 Award, under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725. The Nuclear Science User Facility (NSUF) and the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) are acknowledged for instrument access.

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