Liquid Lead Bismuth Embrittlement Susceptbility of Optifer-IX FM Steels

This paper describes the results of uniaxial tensile tests on unirradiated and irradiated ferritic and martensitic (FM) steel Optifer-IX, in Argon or liquid Pb-Bi eutectic (LBE) environment at strain rate of 1 × 10⁻⁵s⁻¹ during the temperature range from 150∼400°C. The results were compared with those have been obtained from T91 and F82H FM steels. It suggested that the normal Optifer-IX exhibited non LBE induced embrittlement effect; while besides irradiation induced embrittlement effect, the irradiated ones may endure the additional embrittlement effect induced by LBE. The fracture surfaces showed ductile mode for unirradited ones, mixed mode type for the irradiated ones respectively.