Search Results for radiation-induced corrosion

Development of new, radiation-tolerant materials that maintain the structural integrity and safety margins over the course of a nuclear power reactor’s service life requires the ability to predict degradation phenomena. Modern post-irradiation examination methods make use of specialized high-flux test reactors and dedicated characterization facilities to limit occupational exposure and prevent the spread of radioactive contamination. This article illustrates the use of these advanced techniques to characterize precipitates in neutron-irradiated Fe-Cr-Al alloys.

Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) use a combination of scanning and transmission electron microscopy, atom probe tomography, and focused ion beam milling to analyze corrosion and crack structures in light-water reactor components with near-atomic spatial resolution.

The development of polymers, traditionally neglected in fusion materials research, is crucial to the success of commercial fusion energy. This article provides an overview of the materials science and technology challenges that will need to be addressed to develop the mechanically “soft” materials that will serve functional needs in a fusion pilot plant.

Induction coils are considered the weakest link in an induction hardening system, so advanced designs and precise fabrication are paramount to ensure long life while producing high quality treated parts. This article describes material selection and fabrication techniques for conventional inductors and new breakthrough designs.

Corrosion is commonly defined as the deterioration of a material or its properties because of a reaction with its environment. It is a natural process due to a high energy state induced in metals and alloys during refining, processing, and manufacturing. Modern methods for preventing and controlling corrosion can reduce or eliminate its impact on public safety, the economy, and the environment. New technologies push materials to withstand increasingly demanding conditions as a result of higher temperatures and pressures, and environments with greater corrosivity. Therefore, the risks of new types of corrosion failures need to be considered along with methods to avoid them, as described in this article.

This article provides an overview of nondestructive test methods and their application in the study of material properties and structures. It covers the most widely used NDT technologies, including optical examination, radiography, acoustic emission, and ultrasonic testing, and discusses the impact of recent advancements.

Efforts are underway in every sector of the scientic community to explore and develop possible strategies and solutions to counter sea level rise and climate change. Near-term materials science implications include improvements to corrosion-resistant materials and coatings.

The corrosion of structural materials and control of coolant chemistry are key factors that impact the lifetime of nuclear reactors and the development of future reactors. This article reviews corrosion issues in four reactor concepts that use vastly different coolant types: light water reactors, lead fast reactors, high temperature gas-cooled reactors, and fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactors.

Nondestructive evaluation comprises a large family of specific test disciplines including visual inspection, dimensional metrology, ultrasound, radiography, penetrant tests, magnetic particle tests, leak tests, eddy current tests, potential drop tests, flash and vibrothermography, shearography, acoustic emissions, and many other methods. This article offers an overview of NDE science and discusses some key considerations for choosing specific techniques.

This case study details the noninvasive analysis of an 5000-year-old silver figurine from Iran, now in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The The object of this study, a figure of a kneeling bull clothed in a robe with a stepped linear pattern and holding up a spouted vessel, is composed of 15 pieces of worked silver joined together with silver solder. The aim of the study is to apply noninvasive micro-xray fluorescence spectroscopy (μ-XRF) analysis to characterize the silver alloy compositions and compare the new data with previously obtained results from invasive chemical analyses of samples performed by thermal neutron activation.

This article explains how SEM, TEM, and atom probe tomography are being used in the development of additively manufactured high-entropy alloys (HEAs), revealing critical features such as anisotropic microstructure and metallurgical defects. It also discusses ongoing efforts to improve the predictability and analysis of HEA microstructure using data-driven approaches.

News about ASM members, chapters, events, awards, conferences, affiliates, and other society activities. Topics include: ASM strategic plan progress report; volunteer profile for Tom Steigauf; professional profile for Beth Matlock.

Determining the root cause of avionics failures requires a disciplined and systematic analytical process supported by sophisticated equipment. This article reviews some of the analytical tools and techniques used to understand and prevent avionics failures.

This article reviews the analytical techniques used for phase identification in components, including x-ray diffraction, metallography/microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, trasmission electron microscopy,and atom probe tomography. The article addresses the advantages and disadvantages of each technique compared to the other approaches.

The Oregon Graduate Center−later named the Oregon Graduate Institute−played a significant role in metallurgy in the Northwest for nearly four decades. This article reviews important work done by the organization in the second half of the twentieth century.

News about ASM members, chapters, events, awards, conferences, affiliates, and other society activities. Topics include: Affiliate Societies announce new officers and board members; AM&P becomes more digital; NRC landmark unveiling; Robert Hanlin named 2023 George A. Roberts award recipient; Photo gallery highlights from IMAT 2023; professional profile for Sara Wonner; Chennai hosts HTSE 2023; In memoriam for Ronald William Armstrong.