Properties of cast austenitic materials for light water reactors

Primary piping elbows of ligh water reactors are made of cast austeno-ferritic materials (grade CF8 or CF8M) which are susceptible to embrittlement by thermal ageing in service. Ageing kinetics depends on chromium content and on the temperature. The effect of ageing on mechanical properties is determined by the decreasing of Charpy-U energy. It is shown that the rupture of such aged material comes from a combination of cleavage of the ferrite and shearing or ductile tearing of austenite ligaments. The fracture toughness is determined by J-R curves, which exhibit a large scatter related to the solidification macrostructure of the steel. It is shown that J-R curves are independent of the geometry of the specimens.     

Geochemical characteristics of the Yufuin outflow plume, Beppu hydrothermal system, Japan

Thermal water at Yufuin (Kyushu Island, Japan) is tapped through about 820 shallow wells and used mainly for hot-spring bathing purposes. Chemical and isotopic data for fluids from wells and fumaroles in Yufuin and Beppu indicate that the thermal activity at Yufuin represents a dilute, westward-flowing hydrothermal outflow plume from the Beppu hydrothermal system. Two other (eastward-flowing) outflow plumes have long been recognized at Beppu, but the Yufuin outflow plume is first recognized here. The Yufuin outflow plume is apparently a mixture of two end-member fluids: (1) deep high-temperature (250–300°C) fluid from the Beppu system having high chloride concentration (1400–1600 mg/L) and a δ¹⁸O value near −6.0%, and (2) meteoric water having low chloride concentration (≤7 mg/L) and a δ¹⁸O value near −9.2%.A permeable conduit for the vertical and lateral transport of deep fluid from the Beppu system is provided by the Yufuin Fault zone, which extends westward from the southern flank of Mt. Tsurumi volcano to the town of Yufuin. Stable isotope ratios and chloride concentrations for shallow groundwaters near the eastern end of the fault, at an elevation near 700 m, are consistent with those required for the low-chloride meteoric end-member of the Yufuin thermal waters. Recharge of this meteoric water, as well as mixing with the Beppu deep fluid, may occur along the Yufuin Fault. Enthalpy-chloride relations indicate additional conductive heating of the Yufuin waters, in the amount of 350–500 kJ/kg beyond that which can be accounted for by mixing between Beppu deep fluid and meteoric water. This could be a result of conductive heating with convection to a depth of 1–2 km. Estimates of the magnitude of the heat source for the Beppu hydrothermal system should take into account the heat being discharged at Yufuin.     

Control of calcium hexaluminate grain morphology in in-situ toughened ceramic composites

The influence of processing conditions on the morphology of calcium hexaluminate (CA₆) grains in Al₂O₃: 30 vol% CaO·6Al₂O₃ (CA₆) ceramic composites was investigated. Specimens were prepared by in-situ reaction sintering using precursor powders of alumina, and either calcium carbonate or calcium oxide. In some samples, 1 vol% anorthite glass was added as a sintering aid. X-ray diffraction was used to study the phase development in the as-calcined and sintered states. The resultant microstructures were characterized using both scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and imaging secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). It was found that the CA₆ grains developed a platelike morphology when CaCO₃ was used as the starting calcium-rich powder. In contrast, samples prepared using CaO resulted in equiaxed CA₆ grains. This result was observed to be independent of the anorthite glass addition. The findings are rationalized in terms of distinct CA₆ reaction mechanisms, resulting from differences in the reactivity of the powders during the early stages of calcining.Cement Nomenclature C CaO - A Al₂O₃     

Thermal decoloration kinetics of spirooxazines in Ormocer coatings prepared via sol-gel processing

Two free and one silylated (silane-substituted) photochromic spirooxazines are doped into organically modified ceramics (Ormocer) coatings by sol-gel processing and the thermal decoloration kinetics of these coatings are investigated and compared with the corresponding ethanol solutions and PMMA coatings. The decoloration behaviour of the two free dyes (SO-1 and SO-2) in the Ormocer coatings is similar to that in ethanol solutions, obeying a first-order mechanism and possessing almost the same decoloration rates as in ethanol. This suggests that the dye molecules encapsulated within the pores of the solid matrix are as free as those in ethanol solutions. The silylated dye (SO-3) in the Ormocer coatings, however, exhibits a considerably lower decoloration rate than the corresponding free dye (SO-1) and evident deviation from the first-order mechanism. This indicates apparently that the degree of freedom of the dye molecules is reduced by the silylation. These results are discussed on the basis of solvent polarity, porous structure of the Ormocer coating, and the dye-to-matrix connectivity.     

Linear and non-linear conductive spectra of polyethylene oxide/salt complex

A new experimental system has been developed, which enables measurements of linear as well as non-linear complex conductivities to be made. The frequency dependence of linear to fifth-order non-linear complex conductivities at different temperatures in a polyethylene oxide/salt complex can then be measured. A characteristic conduction relaxation phenomenon was observed in the spectra, which suggested the existence of different ion-conduction mechanisms between the high- and low-frequency regions. It was also found that the ratio of linear to non-linear conductivities was closely related to the elementary process of ionic transport. Furthermore, this ratio obtained from non-linear measurements allowed an estimate of the important parameters which characterized ionic transport in ion-conducting polymers, such as the hopping distance of an ion or the size of a connected cluster of the site capable of ion hopping, without the need for any additional assumptions. Thus, it was found that in a polyethylene oxide/salt complex, the typical size of a connected cluster of the effective sites capable of ion hopping was approximately 4 nm.     

Process optimization and related material properties of silicon films produced by laser-induced chemical vapour deposition from silane

Laser-induced chemical vapour deposition of silicon films on SiO₂/Si (1 0 0) and Si (1 0 0) substrates was studied using ArF laser irradiation of silane/argon gas mixture in parallel to the substrate. The optimal deposition conditions were specified by examination of film morphology at a wide range of irradiation and process parameters. At optimal conditions, specular films were obtained with no powder formation. The effect of deposition parameters, such as laser energy and repetition rate, on the deposition rate and the related film quality, was investigated.     

Experimental and numerical investigation of fracture in double-edge notched steel plates

Double-edge notched (DENT) steel plates were pulled until complete fracture and several experimental observations were made (using profilometry and scanning electron microscopy). The essential work of fracture (EWF) model was found to be well verified. Numerical simulations—up to the maximum load only—of some experiments were performed using the finite element method (FEM), and incorporating geometric and material non-linearities (large deformation elasto-plasticity). Some experimental measurements were compared with the corresponding numerical computations and excellent agreement was found.     

Effect of type of processing on the microstructural features and mechanical properties of Al-Cu/SiC metal matrix composites

In this study, an aluminum based metallic matrix (Al-2wt.% Cu) was reinforced with SiC particulates using a conventional casting technique and a new disintegrated melt deposition technique. Microstructural characterization studies conducted on the samples taken from disintegrated melt deposition technique revealed a more uniform distribution of SiC particulates and good interfacial integrity between SiC particulates and metallic matrix when compared to the conventionally cast composite samples. Results of ambient temperature mechanical tests demonstrate an increase in 0.2% YS and ultimate tensile strength of samples taken from disintegrated melt deposition technique when compared with the unreinforced and conventionally cast composite samples. The results of microstructural characterization and mechanical testing were finally rationalized in terms of the nature of processing technique employed to reinforce Al-2wt.% Cu metallic matrix with SiC particulates.