Development of high strength austenitic stainless steel for conduit of Nb3Al conductor

Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) started developing new austenitic stainless steel for a conduit (1 - 2 mm) of a Nb3Al conductor in collaboration with Nippon Steel Corporation (NSC). A high strength austenitic stainless steel is required for a conduit of a Nb3Al conductor to make the best use of superconducting properties of a Nb3Al conductor. JAERI and NSC successfully developed the high strength austenitic stainless steel, JN1 (YS ≥ 1,300 MPa, KIc ≥ 200 MPa√m at 4K) for magnet structures having thick section. However, JN1 is not suitable for a conduit material because elongation of JN1 decreases to less than 10 % due to sensitization during reaction heat treatment for Nb3Al. Therefore, modification of JN1 was performed as a first step to develop a new conduit material which withstands Nb3Al reaction heating. Small trial lots heat-treated at 973 - 1173 K for 2 - 200 hours were prepared and evaluated by Charpy impact test and tensile test at 77 K and 4K. A material having yield strength of 1,390 MPa and elongation of 34 % after aging at 973 K x 200 h are developed up to now. This paper describes requirements on the mechanical properties and status of the development work. In addition, empirical equations to predict 4K yield strength, elongation, and Charpy absorbed energy from 77K data are proposed in this paper