Development of Zr-containing advanced reduced-activation alloy (ARAA) as structural material for fusion reactors

Highlights: • Creep and impact resistances of reduced activation ferritic–martensitic steel are enhanced by the addition of Zr. • A 5 ton scale heat of Zr containing RAFM steel, ARAA, has been produced for material property evaluation. • The physical, thermal, magnetic and mechanical properties of ARAA are quite similar to those of Eurofer 97. - Abstract: Korea has developed an advanced reduced-activation alloy (ARAA) as a structural material for helium-cooled ceramic reflector test blanket module (HCCR-TBM) applications. The present paper describes the history of alloy development and the properties of ARAA, which has been produced at a 5 t scale using vacuum induction melting and electro-slag re-melting methods. ARAA is a 9Cr–1.2W based ferritic–martensitic steel with 0.01 wt.% Zr. The mechanical properties, thermal properties and physical and magnetic properties of ARAA show similar temperature dependencies to those observed for Eurofer 97. However, ARAA exhibits a much longer creep–rupture time than conventional RAFM steel, which suggests a positive effect on Zr addition. The enhanced creep strength of ARAA by the addition of Zr is attributed to the reduced temperature-dependence of the yield strength.