Mechanical properties of irradiated 9Cr–2WVTa steel with and without nickel

Tensile and Charpy specimens of normalized-and-tempered ORNL 9Cr–2WVTa reduced-activation steel and that steel composition containing 2% Ni (9Cr–2WVTa–2Ni) were irradiated at 376–405 °C in the experimental breeder reactor (EBR-II) to 23–33 dpa. Steels were irradiated in two tempered conditions: 1 h at 700 °C and 1 h at 750 °C. The mechanical properties before and after irradiation of the 9Cr–2WVTa–2Ni steel were quite similar to those of the 9Cr–2WVTa steel, indicating no adverse effect of the nickel. Neither of the steels showed excessive hardening or a large increase in ductile–brittle transition temperature.