RESPONSE OF UNIRRADIATED AND NEUTRON-IRRADIATED VANADIUM ALLOYS TO CHARPY-IMPACT LOADING

The ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) was determined by Charpy-impact tests for dehydrogenated (< 30 appm H) and hydrogenated (400-1200 appm H) V-7.2Cr-14.5Ti, V-9.9Cr-9.2Ti, V-13.5Cr-5.2Ti, V-17.7Ti, V-9.2Cr-4.9Ti, V-9.0Cr-3.2Fe-1.2Zr, V-3.1Ti-0.5Si, V-4.1Cr-4.3Ti, V-4.6Ti, and V-2.5Ti-1.0Si alloys. The DBTT was also determined for V-13.5Cr-5.2Ti, V-9.2Cr-4.9Ti, V-7.2Cr-14.5Ti, and V-17.7Ti alloys after neutron irradiation at 420 and 600-degrees-C to 41-44 dpa. The DBTTs determined for these vanadium alloys show that a vanadium alloy containing Cr and/or Ti and Si alloying additions to be used as a structural material in a fusion reactor should contain 3-9 wt% total alloying addition for maximum resistance to hydrogen- and/or irradiation-induced embrittlement.