Radiation Effects in FeCrAl Alloys for Nuclear Power Applications

Abstract

Iron–chromium–aluminum (FeCrAl) alloys are of interest in the nuclear industry for their excellent corrosion and oxidation resistance. FeCrAl alloys have been considered for nuclear applications such as accident tolerant fuel cladding, structural components for fast fission reactors, and within blanket structures of fusion power devices. The application of these alloys for nuclear applications has spawned a range of studies investigating the radiation tolerance of FeCrAl alloys including changes in microstructure, mechanical responses, and other material performance factors. Studies on radiation effects have shown FeCrAl alloys to have similar behavior to other Cr-rich ferritic alloys, except Al-additions can cause deviations from typical understanding. Here, the role of Cr and Al are discussed in detail on the radiation performance of FeCrAl alloys as well as other variables including initial microstructure and irradiation factors such as irradiation dose and temperature.

Publication
In: Comprehensive Nuclear Materials, pp. 293–306, https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-803581-8.11613-3