Influence of temperature and neutron irradiation on the strength and ductility of vanadium alloys

The tensile properties of unirradiated and irradiated vanadium alloys at different temperatures are reviewed. A model of load-after-unload during tensile test is suggested to give the relation between the tensile deformation behavior of the irradiated and unirradiated vanadium alloys. The result shows that the strengthening by neutron irradiation is equivalent to the deformation strengthening of the unirradiated alloys. The subsequent plastic deformation is nearly the same for both cases. As a result, it is suggested that the yield strength of V4Cr4Ti alloy after neutron irradiation should not exceed 400 MPa to keep from sudden fracture accident