Abstract
Creep tests were conducted on Ni-base heat-resistant alloys Hastelloy XR and XR-II, i. e. versions of Hastelloy X modified for nuclear applications, at 950°C using four types of helium environment with different impurity compositions, and mainly the effect of carburization was examined.
For all the materials tested, the values of creep rupture time obtained under the carburizing conditions were similar to or longer than those in the commonly used, standard test environment (JAERI Type B helium). The difference among the results was interpreted by the counterbalancing effects of the strengthening due to carburization and possible weakening caused under very low oxidizing potential. In the corrosion monitoring specimens pronounced carbon pick-up was observed in the environment with high carbon activity and very low oxidizing potential. Based on the results obtained in the present and the previous works, it is suggested that a moderate control of the impurity chemistry is important rather than simple purification of the coolant in protecting the material from the environment-enhanced degradation. Either condition with high or low extremes in the oxidizing and carburizing potentials may cause enhanced degradation and thus are desirable to be avoided at the elevated temperatures.
