| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Spectroscopic Methods and Analysis for Nuclear Energy Related Materials
|
| Presentation Title |
Nanostructural Characterization of Electron Beam Welded Reactor Pressure Vessel Steel via XANES and Nano-CT |
| Author(s) |
Jasmyne N. Emerson, Xianghui Xiao, Elliot H. Marrero, Grayson A. Nemets, Janelle P. Wharry, Maria A. Okuniewski |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Jasmyne N. Emerson |
| Abstract Scope |
Reactor pressure vessels (RPVs) are critical structural components in nuclear power plants. Advancements in welding technology, particularly electron beam (EB) welding, offer a promising avenue for RPV fabrication by eliminating the requirement for impurity-introducing filler materials used in conventional arc welding and reducing the size of the heat-affected zone. In tandem with welding innovations, the adoption of powder metallurgy with hot isostatic pressing (PM-HIP) as an alternative fabrication approach offers rapid and modularized production capabilities for near-net-shaped components. This research aims to characterize microstructural changes such as porosity and precipitate evolution within EB-welded RPV steel due to welding. Utilizing synchrotron-based X-ray nano-computed tomography (nano-CT) and three-dimensional X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (3D-XANES), specimens fabricated via conventional forging and PM-HIP will be analyzed. The multimodal approach of nano-CT and 3D-XANES with conventional electron microscopy techniques offers valuable insight into the intricate interplay between fabrication processes and microstructural evolution in EB-welded RPV steels. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Iron and Steel, |