Phase stability of laves intermetallics in a stainless steel-zirconium alloy

Phase transformations occurring in a stainless steel-15 wt% zirconium (SS-15Zr) alloy were studied by in situ neutron diffraction. Neutron diffraction patterns as a function of time were obtained on alloys that were held at various elevated temperatures (1084-1275 C). As-cast SS-15Zr alloys contain ferrite, austenite, ZrFe2-type Laves polytypes C36 and C15, and small amounts of a Fe23Zr6-type intermetallic. Annealing at high temperatures resulted in an increase of the Fe23Zr6, intermetallic content. The C15 Laves polytype is the equilibrium phase for T ≤ 1230 C; C36 is the stable polytype at higher temperatures (∼1275 C). Phase changes were slow for temperatures <1100 C.These findings have important implications for use of the SS-15Zr alloy as a nuclear waste form