Effect of nickel content on the neutron irradiation embrittlement of Ni-Mo-Cr steels

The influence of nickel on the neutron irradiation embrittlement of Ni-Mo-Cr reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels was investigated using alloys containing nickel in the range of 0.9–3.5 wt%. In all investigated alloys, the neutron irradiation with two dose conditions of 4.5 × 1019 neutron/cm2 at 290 °C and 9.0 × 1019 neutron/cm2 at 290 °C, respectively, increased the hardness and ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT). However, the increases of the hardness and DBTT resulting from the neutron irradiation were primarily affected by the irradiation dose that is closely related to the generation of irradiation defects, but not by the nickel content. In addition, a linear relationship between the changes in the hardness and DBTT subjected to the irradiation was confirmed. These results demonstrate that increasing the nickel content up to 3.5 wt% does not have a harmful effect on the irradiation embrittlement of Ni-Mo-Cr reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels.