Effects of Thermal Aging on the Mechanical Properties of FeCrAl-ODS Alloy Claddings

The FeCrAl-ODS alloy claddings were manufactured and Vickers hardness, ring tensile tests and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations of these claddings were performed to investigate the effects of thermal aging at 450 degrees C for 5.000 and 15,000 h. The age-hardening of all FeCrAl-ODS alloy cladding was found. In addition, the significant increase in tensile strength was accompanied by much larger loss of ductility. It was suggested that this age-hardening behavior was attributed to the (Ti, Al)-enriched phase (beta' phase) and the alpha' phase precipitates (content of Al is <7 mass%). In comparison with FeCrAl-ODS alloys with almost same chemical compositions, there was significant age-hardening in both alloys. However, the extrusion bar with no-recrystallized structures was keeping good ductility. It was suggested that this different behavior of reduction ductility was attributed to the effects of grain boundaries, dislocation densities and specimen preparation direction.