The Study of the Mechanical Properties of Small Tubes Made from Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Steel by Using the Ring Tension Tests

Abstract

The paper aims to investigate the mechanical properties of tubes having a small diameter and made from new steels called ODS steels Oxide Dispersion Strengthened steels). These new materials are candidate materials for fuel claddings in the generation IV reactors. This work contributes to original results to the experimental program carried out by RATEN ICN Pitesti in the framework of the FP7 European MatISSE Project (Materials� Innovations for a Safe and Sustainable nuclear �n Europe). The experimental method used for the investigating of the mechanical properties of ODS steel tubes is a non-standard method, known as Ring Tension Test (acronym - RTT). It is recommended for the mechanical testing of tubes with thinner walls and reduced inner diameter. The main advantage of RTT is that the tested sample maintains the initial geometry of the component from which has been made. For the experimental RTT tests, the ODS tubes were provided by MatISSE Project participant, CEA France. Tubes are in two different compositions: Fe-9Cr ODS and Fe-14Cr ODS. For a better understanding of the ODS mechanical properties, some further investigation on the scanning electron microscopy is carried out.