Integrated computational materials engineering simulation studies of nuclear alloys based on crystal plasticity modeling

For nuclear reactor, alloys with excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties are widely used in the nuclear fuel cladding, internal component, and steam generator. The processing technology affect the microstructure directly, and hence the mechanical and corrosive properties. It is an important step to study on the performance of nuclear alloys outside reactor to alloy evaluation and improvement. Hence it is significant to predict the “processing-microstructure-mechanical property” of nuclear alloys. Conventional methods just rely on experimental “try-and-error” cycle, which costs lots of money and takes long time. Integrated Computational Materials Engineering based on through process simulation try to combine the models of processing, microstructure evolution and property, can remarkably reduce the R&D period and expense. To promote the application of this methodology in the processing optimization and development of nuclear alloys, the present study employed microstructure-sensitive crystal plasticity models and decoupled finite element simulation technique, to study quantitatively the “processing-microstructure-mechanical property” interrelationship of Zr, Ti, and FeCrAl alloys. The results indicated that the present model was able to predict accurately the hot processing texture and the corresponding tensile/compressive plastic behavior of three typical nuclear alloys. The present simulation method based on crystal plasticity can provide computational tool and reference to processing optimization and mechanical property evaluation of nuclear alloys.