Mechanical testing of anisotropy in ODS steel tubes

Anisotropy of fuel claddings made from Fe-9Cr and Fe-14Cr ODS (oxide dispersion-strengthened) steel for Generation IV reactors with coolants based on liquid metals was examined. Basic mechanical tests were performed at temperatures of 30 °C, 500 °C and 625 °C on ODS steel thin-walled tubes. Tensile tests were performed in axial and tangential directions in a vacuum to avoid oxidation of the small specimens. A scanning electron microscope with a small in-situ tensile testing device was used to conduct the tests. The result of this paper describes the basic mechanical properties of thin-walled tubes as ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, tensile modulus, etc. depending on the direction of loading. (paper)