High-temperature radiation embrittlement of austenitic steel with increased content of fusible impurities

The effect of neutron irradiation on the plasticity of the Kh18N9 and Kh15N15M3 austenite steels containing various amounts of Pb, Bi and Zn has been investigated. The tendency to high-temperature radiation embrittlement was evaluated according to the results of tensile tests at 700-800 deg C. It was found that the increased content of Pb and Bi in the Kh18N9 and Kh15N15M3 steels decreases high-temperature plasticity due to intergranular fracture but does not increase the tendency of the steels to radiation high-temperature embrittlement which also arises due to weakening of grain boundaries