Simulation of radiation induced segregation and PWSCC susceptibility for austenitic stainless steels

Recently, irradiation assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC) of austenitic stainless steels for core internal components materials become a subject of discussion in light water reactors (LWRs). IASCC has not been found in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs). However, the authors have investigated on the possibility of IASCC of austenitic stainless steels for core internal materials so as to be able to estimate the degradation of PWR plants up to the end of their lifetime. In this study, in order to verify the hypothetical that the IASCC in PWRs shall be caused by the primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) as a result of radiation induced segregation (RIS) at grain boundaries, the authors simulated RIS at grain boundaries of austenitic stainless steels based on previous study and estimated RIS tendency after long time operation. And the authors melted the test alloys whose bulk compositions simulated the grain boundary compositions of irradiated austenitic stainless steels and made clear chromium-nickel-silicon compositions for PWSCC susceptibility area in austenitic alloys by slow strain rate tensile (SSRT) test. (author)