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Hydride-Phase Formation and its Influence on Fatigue Crack Propagation Behavior in a Zircaloy-4 Alloy

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Abstract

The hydride-phase formation and its influence on the fatigue behavior of a Zircaloy-4 alloy charged with hydrogen gas are investigated. First, the microstructure and fatigue crack propagation rate of the alloy in the as-received condition are studied. Second, the formation and homogeneous distribution of the delta zirconium hydride in the bulk and its effect on the fatigue crack propagation rate are presented. The results show that in the presence of hydrides, the zirconium alloy exhibits reduced toughness and enhanced crack growth rates. Finally, the influence of a preexisting fatigue crack in the specimen and the subsequent hydride formation are examined. The residual lattice strain profile around the fatigue crack tip is measured using neutron diffraction. It is observed that the combined effects of residual strains and hydride precipitation on the fatigue behavior are more severe leading to propagation of the crack under near threshold loading.

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Acknowledgments

E. Garlea acknowledges the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) International Materials Institutes (IMI) Program (DMR-0231320) and the Tennessee Advanced Materials Laboratory Fellowship Program. E. Garlea is grateful to Drs. D.A. Smith and S.J. Randolph for valuable suggestions regarding the nickel sputtering. This work has benefited from the use of Lujan Neutron Scattering Center at LANSCE, which is funded by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences (Department of Energy). Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by Los Alamos National Security LLC under DOE Contract De-AC52-06NA25396. EBSD analysis was conducted at the SHaRE User Facility, which is sponsored at Oak Ridge National Laboratory by the Division of Scientific User Facilities, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energy.

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Author notes

  1. Elena Garlea (Graduate Student, Technical Staff Member)

    Present address: Applied Technologies Division, Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA

  2. Jungwon Park (Graduate Student, Process Engineer)

    Present address: dpiX, LLC, Colorado Springs, CO, 80923, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    Elena Garlea (Graduate Student, Technical Staff Member), Hahn Choo (Associate Professor), Gongyao Y. Wang (Research Associate), Peter K. Liaw (Professor and Ivan Racheff Chair of Excellence), Jungwon Park (Graduate Student, Process Engineer) & Philip D. Rack (Associate Professor)

  2. Neutron Scattering Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA

    Hahn Choo (Associate Professor)

  3. LANSCE-LC, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    Bjørn Clausen (Technical Staff Member)

  4. MST-8, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    Donald W. Brown (Technical Staff Member)

  5. Material Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA

    Edward A. Kenik (Distinguished R&D Staff Member)

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  1. Elena Garlea
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Correspondence to Elena Garlea.

Additional information

Manuscript submitted August 19, 2009.

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Garlea, E., Choo, H., Wang, G.Y. et al. Hydride-Phase Formation and its Influence on Fatigue Crack Propagation Behavior in a Zircaloy-4 Alloy. Metall Mater Trans A 41, 2816–2828 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-010-0342-z

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