Effect of hydrogenation on creep and structure evolution of nanocrystalline Zr1Nb alloy

The regularities of creep, mechanical characteristics, and structure evolution of Zr1Nb nanocrystalline alloy obtained by intensive plastic deformation and hydrogenated from a gaseous medium are studied. It is shown that, due to deformation under creep conditions, a small amount of zirconium hydrides is formed in the structure of the Zr1Nb alloy, which has little effect on its strength properties and ductility. The observed features of the creep characteristics are mainly due to the past relaxation of internal stresses and the corresponding structural transformations during hydrogenation and subsequent deformation. (author)