R and D of low activated Fe-Mn-Cr high strength non-magnetic steel, (I). Screening test for constituent optimization and fundamental characterization test

It is very important to develop low activated/non-magnetic materials as large scale structural materials for fusion reactors. In the structural design of JT-60SU, low activated/non-magnetic materials with high specific strength and low decay heat characterizations are required. In the present paper, a new low activated/non-magnetic material (15.5 Mn-16Cr-0.2N-0.3Si-0.2C (wt%)) based on the conventional high manganese steel with lower Ni, CO, C, N and Mn contents for the purpose of lower activation and decay heat was developed and the mass production conditions of the material were optimized. Fundamental material characterization tests of the new material developed in present study were carried out, and the following conclusions are derived ; (1) Lower activation characterizations with the new materials in the order of 1/10 of that of SUS316L steel, (2) Higher strength of the material in the order of 2∼3 of SUS316L steel and (3) Lower decay heat with higher thermal conductivity with comparison of SUS316L steel. (author)