THE EFFECT OF FAST NEUTRON IRRADIATION ON CHANGES IN MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF EK-164 AND CHS-68 AUSTENITIC STEELS
The examination results of claddings for thin-walled small diameter tubes made of EK-164 and ChS-68 steels after fast neutron irradiation within the wide temperature and damage dose ranges are given. Temperature-dose dependencies of changes in short-term mechanical properties at normal operation temperatures are built after tests in two loading modes. It was found out that, according to tubular sample testing the mechanical properties of EK-164 steel are higher than those of ChS-68 one. Strength and plasticity reductions of steels are detected in the area of maximum deformation, where fracture mechanism takes place in radiation-induced voids. The second reduction area of mechanical properties is observed at irradiation temperatures higher than 550 °С with intercrystalline fracture mechanism during annular sample testing.