Effect of irradiation on the steels 316L/LN type to 12 dpa at 400 °C

Abstract The 316L type stainless steel is widely used as a structural material for the fission reactors internal structures (core, core supports, etc.) and for experimental irradiation facilities. The 316L(N)-IG type steel is proposed as a main structural material for the ITER reactor (first wall, blanket, vacuum vessel, cooling pipe lines). It is obvious that different steel grades should exhibit different reaction to neutron irradiation. The main objective of this work was to study of irradiation behaviour of three different commercial steels: AISI 316LN, AISI 316L (US grades) and 02X17H14M2 (Russian steel grade that is similar to 316L). Irradiation effect on the three commercial steels of 316L family to ∼12 dpa at the temperature ∼370–400 °C on the tensile properties, microstructure, swelling and susceptibility to SCC are described in the paper.