Mechanical and fatigue properties of martensitic Fe-13Cr steel in contact with lead and lead-bismuth melts

• Published in: Fusion engineering and design 2014-01, Vol.89 (1), p.29-34
• Main Authors: Yaskiv, O.I., Fedirko, V.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Elongation; Fatigue (materials); Fe-13Cr ferritic/martensitic steel; Intervals; Lead; Lead (metal); Lead-bismuth eutectic; Liquid metals; Low cycle fatigue; Martensitic stainless steels; Plasticity; Steels; Strength; Ultimate tensile strength
• ISSN: 0920-3796; 1873-7196
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2013.11.004

•We investigated the influence of Pb and Pb-Bi melts on mechanical properties of Fe-13Cr steel at high temperatures.•We revealed the temperature interval of liquid metal embrittlement of Fe-13Cr steel.•Pb-Bi has more negative impact as compared with Pb for both plasticity and fatigue. The influence of stagnant liquid-metal environments (Pb and Pb-Bi) on mechanical (strength and plasticity) and fatigue properties (low cycle fatigue) of martensitic Fe-13Cr steel in temperature interval of 250–600°С have been investigated. Heavy liquid metals facilitate decreasing in ultimate strength by 10–20% against that in vacuum. The increase of temperature enhances this effect. Fe-13Cr steel is susceptible to liquid-metal embrittlement in the temperature interval of 350–450°С, which manifests itself more substantially in lead-bismuth eutectic. The decrease of plasticity in Pb is 11% at 450°С and in Pb-Bi is 30% in temperature interval 350–400°С. Liquid metal environments significantly reduce fatigue life of Fe-13Cr steel. Pb-Bi has a more negative impact. In particular, with increasing total strain amplitude (up to 1.0%), the decrease in the cycle number to fracture by more than two orders of magnitude occurs.