Simultaneous strength and toughness increase in low dose neutron irradiated austenitic stainless steel at sub-zero temperatures due to changes in strain-induced martensitic transformation
Tsay K.V. Rofman O.V. Merezhko M.S. Short M.P.
15 April 2025Acta Materialia Inc
Acta Materialia
2025#288
Mechanisms of strain-induced martensitic transformations (SIMTs) in austenitic stainless steels (AuSS) remain incompletely understood and underutilized as ways of simultaneously boosting strength and ductility during deformation. AuSS can be defect-engineered to retain higher ductility under deformation at different temperatures, inducing a change in SIMT mechanism and yielding additional benefits to engineering systems. Here we investigate the combined effects of low-dose neutron irradiation (0.017–0.062 dpa at 50–80 °C) and cryogenic deformation (−100 °C to 20 °C) on SIMT mechanisms and resultant uniaxial tensile mechanical properties of 12Cr18Ni10Ti AuSS, a critical material for nuclear reactor internals. We demonstrate that sub-zero deformation results in increased SIMT leading to enhanced microhardness and strength, independent of irradiation dose or test temperature. The irradiation enhances the susceptibility of the steel to SIMT at room temperature, while simultaneously limiting its intensity at cryogenic temperatures. The complex influence of irradiation and temperature results in simultaneously increased strength, ductility, and toughness due to SIMT-controlled localized deformation. This study shows that deformation of irradiated AuSS may be more graceful than anticipated, challenging our assumption that radiation damage always leads to deleterious effects, with positive implications for both fission reactor decommissioning and fusion reactor cryogenic magnet support structures.
Austenitic stainless steel (AuSS) , Mechanical properties , Neutron irradiation , Stacking fault energy , Strain hardening , Strain-induced martensitic transformation (SIMT)
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Institute of Nuclear Physics, Ibragimov str. 1, Almaty, 050032, Kazakhstan
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Ave., Room 24-204, Cambridge, 02139, MA, United States
Institute of Nuclear Physics
Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering
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