Mechanical properties and microstructure in low-activation martensitic steels F82H and Optimax after 800-MeV proton irradiation

Low-activation martensitic steels, F82H (mod.) and Optimax-A, have been irradiated with 800-MeV protons up to 5.9 dpa. The tensile properties and microstructure have been studied. The results show that radiation hardening increases continuously with irradiation dose. F82H has lesser irradiation hardening as compared to Optimax-A in the present work and DIN1.4926 from a previous study. The irradiation embrittlement effects are evident in the materials since the uniform elongation is reduced sharply to less than 2%. However, all the irradiated samples ruptured in a ductile-fracture mode. Defect clusters have been observed. The size and the density of defect clusters increase with the irradiation dose. Precipitates are amorphous after irradiation. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.