Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
7963421 | Journal of Nuclear Materials | 2018 | 11 Pages |
Abstract
Commercial graphites are used for a wide range of applications. For example, Gilsocarbon graphite is used within the reactor core of advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGRs, UK) as a moderator. In service, the mechanical properties of the graphite are changed as a result of neutron irradiation induced defects and porosity arising from radiolytic oxidation. In this paper, we discuss measurements undertaken of mechanical properties at the micro-length-scale for virgin and irradiated graphite. These data provide the necessary inputs to an experimentally-informed model that predicts the deformation and fracture properties of Gilsocarbon graphite at the centimetre length-scale, which is commensurate with laboratory test specimen data. The model predictions provide an improved understanding of how the mechanical properties and fracture characteristics of this type of graphite change as a result of exposure to the reactor service environment.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Energy
Nuclear Energy and Engineering
Authors
Branko Å avija, Gillian E. Smith, Peter J. Heard, Eleni Sarakinou, James E. Darnbrough, Keith R. Hallam, Erik Schlangen, Peter E.J. Flewitt,