Particle Size Distribution and Characterization of High Siliceous and Microporous Materials

Particle size, textural and surface characteristics influence some major technological properties of high siliceous aluminosilicate zeolite and sillicoaluminophosphate （SAPO） microporous materials. A comparative study was furnished for measuring surface characteristics, particle size and particle size distribution using particle size analyzer （PSA） and scanning electron microscope （SEM）. The PSA is capable of measuring particle diameter in micron range. The results of these techniques for estimation of particle size were compared and correlated statistically. Student t-test and variance ratio test （F-test） methods were performed for the significance of results by the analysis of variance （ANONA） and multiple-range tests. Textural and surface characteristics were evaluated by Brunauer, Emmett ＆ Teller （BET） volumetric technique and v-αs plotting method. The textural results shows that the external surface area and micropore volume of microporous materials were higher than those of the high siliceous zeolites and its zeotype materials.

Fabrication of cast carbon steel with ultrafine TiC particles

The carbon steels dispersed with ultrafine TiC particles were fabricated by conventional casting method. The casting process is more economical than other available routes for metal matrix composite production, and the large sized components to be fabricated in short processing time. However, it is extremely difficult to obtain uniform dispersion of ultrafine ceramic particles in liquid metals due to the poor wettability and the specific gravity difference between the ceramic particle and metal matrix. In order to solve these problems, the mechanical milling (MM) and surface-active processes were introduced. As a result, Cu coated ultrafine TiC powders made by MM process using high energy ball milling machine were mixed with Sn powders as a surfactant to get better wettability by lowering the surface tension of carbon steel melt. The microstructural investigations by OM show that ultrafine TiC particles are distributed uniformly in carbon steel matrix. The grain sizes of the cast matrix with ultrafine TiC particles are much smaller than those without ultrafine TiC particles. This is probably due to the fact that TiC particles act as nucleation sites during solidification. The wear resistance of cast carbon steel composites added with MMed TiC/Cu-Sn powders is improved due to grain size refinement.

Formation of interfacial brittle phases sigma phase and IMC in hybrid titanium-to-stainless steel joint

The microstructures of the brazed joints for commercially pure Ti and stainless steel were investigated by the applications of various filler alloys including Ag-, Ti-, Zr- and Ni-based alloys. Generally, the dissimilar joints between Ti and stainless steel were dominated by the Ti-based intermetallic compounds （IMCs）, e.g. （Ti, Zr）2（Fe, Ni）, TiFe, TiCu, and Ti2（Fe, Ni）, due to a significant dissolution of Ti from the base metal. The （Fe-Cr） cr phase was also observed near the stainless steel due to a segregation of Cr into the interface region. This research demonstrates empirically that the brittleness of the Ti and stainless steel joint can not be avoided only by applying single braze alloy or single insert metal, and thus an introduction of additional suitable interlayer between the filler alloy and the base metal is necessary to prevent the brittleness of the joint.

Development of Advanced Radiation Resistant ODS Steel for Fast Reactor System Applications

A sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) is being developed at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI). As in-core structural material for a SFR, advanced radiation resistant ODS steel (ARROS) has been developed. This paper summarizes the current status of ARROS development regarding an ODS steel composition, fabrication technology of ODS steel structural components and key joining technologies of ODS steel structural components.

Dispersion of ultrafine SiC particles in molten Al-12Si alloy

The bulk A1-12 Si eutectic composites were fabricated through a conventional liquid metal casting route, especially with the help of ultrafine ceramic powders made by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis （SHS） process. The SHS powders were fabricated by the chemical reaction between micro-sized SiC and A1 particles at very high combustion temperatures, producing the coarse A1 particles （several tens of microns） containing ultrafine SiC ceramic particles. Microstructural observation revealed that the addition of ultrafine SiC particles has a crumbling tendency of Si eutectic phase. It is suggested that the casting method combined with SHS process is promising for fabricating the Al-based MMC with ultrafine ceramic particles.

Material Characterization of Ni Base Alloy for Very High Temperature Reactor

The generation of highly efficient electricity and the production of massive hydrogen are possible using a very high temperature reactor （VHTR） among generation IV nuclear power plants. The structural material for an intermediate heat exchanger （IHX） among numerous components should be endurable at high temperature of up to 950 °C during long-term operation. Impurities inevitably introduced in helium as a coolant facilitate the material degradation by corrosion at high temperature. In the present work, the surface reactions available under controlled impure helium at 950 °C were investigated based on the thermodynamics and the corrosion tests were performed in a temperature range of 850-950 °C during 10-250 h for commercial Alloy 617 as a candidate material for an IHX. Moreover, the mechanical property and microstructure for nickel-based alloys fabricated in laboratory were evaluated as a function of the processing parameters such as hot rolling and heat treatment conditions. From the reaction rate constant obtained from an impure helium control system for a material evaluation, it was predicted that the outer oxide layer thickness, internal oxide depth, and carbide- depleted zone depth reach about 116, 600 and 1000 μm, respectively when Alloy 617 is exposed to an impure helium environment at 950 ~C for 20 years. For Ni-Cr-Co-Mo alloy, subsequent annealing and a combination of cold working and subsequent annealing following solution annealing caused increases in the grain boundary carbide coverage and size. The angular distribution of the grain boundary as well as the carbide distribution was also changed leading to a consequent improvement of the mechanical property at 950 °C in air.

In-situ synthesis of TiC/Fe alloy composites with high strength and hardness by reactive sintering

Fe alloy composites reinforced with in-situ titanium carbide （TIC） particles were fabricated by reactive sintering using different reactant C/Ti ratios of 0.8, 0.9, 1 and 1.1 to investigate the microstructure and mechanical properties ofin-situ TiC/Fe alloy composites. The microstructure showed that the in-situ syn- thesized TiC particles were spherical with a size of 1-3 }~m, irrespective of C/Ti ratio. The stoichiometry of in-situ TiC increased from 0.85 to 0.88 with increasing C/Ti ratio from 0.8 to 0.9, but remained almost unchanged for C/Ti ratios between 0.9 and 1.1 due to the same driving force for carbon diffusion in TiCx at the common sintering temperature. The in-situ TiC/Fe alloy composite with C[Ti ~ 0.9 showed improved mechanical properties compared with other C/Ti ratios because the presence of excess carbon （C/Ti = 1 and 1.1） resulted in unreacted carbon within the Fe alloy matrix, while insufficient carbon （C/Ti = 0.8） caused the depletion of carbon from the Fe alloy matrix, leading to a significant decrease in hardness. This study presents that the maximized hardness and superior strength of in-situ TiC/Fe alloy composites can be achieved by microstructure control and stoichiometric analysis of the in-situ synthesized TiC par- ticles, while maintaining the ductility of the composites, compared to those of the unreinforced Fe alloy. Therefore, we anticipate that the in-situ synthesized TiC/Fe alloy composites with enhanced mechanical properties have great potential in cutting tool, mold and roller material applications.

Microstructural Investigation of Alloy 617 Creep-ruptured at High Temperature in a Helium Environment

A very high temperature reactor （VHTR） is one of the next-generation nuclear reactors chosen by the Generation IV International Forum. A Ni-base superalloy, Alloy 617, is considered as a primary candidate material for an intermediate heat exchanger （IHX） and hot gas duct （HGD） of the VHTR because of the superior creep resistance at a high temperature above 850 ~C. In this study, the microstructures of the specimens creep- ruptured at high temperatures in a helium environment were investigated. The decrease in rupture time was more pronounced with increasing creep temperature. In the specimens crept at 950 ~C, the external Cr-oxide layer of the specimens increased in thickness with increasing creep rupture time, and delaminated after a long-time creep. The high creep stress induced a deep penetration of carbide depletion along the grain boundaries at the early stage of the creep test. The creep temperature enhanced the growth rate of the decarburized zone depth clearly, but the temperature effect on the growth of the external oxide and internal oxide was not well understood as the surface reaction and creep stress affected the microstructures complexly.