Tensile fracture behavior and texture evolution of a hot-rolled W–Y2(Zr)O3 alloy

Highlights: • A W–0.4wt% Y₂(Zr)O₃ alloy with high recrystallization temperature and superior tensile strength have been prepared. • The strength and elongation of the RD and TD orientation samples of the WYZ alloy depend on the length of the free dislocation slip path and the capacity of grains to dislocations. • With the increase of tensile temperature, the α- and γ-fiber texture on the fracture side surface were significantly enhanced. • Larger tensile strain rates overestimate DBTT but exhibit high tensile strength at temperatures above DBTT. A W–0.4wt% Y₂(Zr)O₃ (WYZ) alloy plate with superior mechanical properties and improved high-temperature stability was prepared by hot rolling. The tensile properties of WYZ alloys with different orientations and recrystallization states were investigated at a temperature range from room temperature (RT) to 500°C. The texture intensity of the original WYZ alloy was weak, but it was significantly enhanced after annealing. The initial recrystallization temperature of the WYZ alloy was approximately 1400°C. After recrystallization annealing, the strength of the WYZ alloy decreased significantly, but it showed an increased ductility. The ultimate tensile strength and fracture elongation of the samples along the rolling direction (RD) were always significantly higher than those of the samples along the transverse direction (TD). Orientation and annealing had no evident effect on ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) from tensile data, but increasing strain rate would overestimate DBTT. The DBTT of the WYZ alloy from tensile data was approximately between 200°C and 300°C. With the increase in tensile test temperature, the strengths of α- and γ-fiber textures on the side of fracture surface increased significantly. The increase in α- and γ-fiber texture contents was beneficial to ductility enhancement in the WYZ plate.