Hot Deformation Behaviour and Microstructural Evaluation of Zr-1Nb Alloy

Abstract

In nuclear water reactors, zirconium alloys are extensively used as fuel cladding material and in other structural applications. Uniaxial hot compression tests were performed to understand the deformation behavior of Zr-1Nb alloy. Therefore, hot compression tests were performed in the temperature range of 700-1050°C, which envelopes α-phase, (α+β) phase, and β-phase. True stress-strain curves, processing maps, microstructural observation and kinetic analysis were used to discuss the deformation behavior of Zr-1Nb alloy. Deformation at a strain rate of 10-2 s-1 reveals softening at lower temperatures and steady state behavior at higher temperatures. Processing map also reveals domain of high efficiency at 10-2 s-1 strain rate for a wide range of deformation temperatures. The flow softening and high power dissipation efficiency predicts dynamic recrystallization or dynamic recovery during the hot deformation of studied alloy.