The relationship between carbide precipitation and the in-reactor deformation of type 316 stainless steel

The precipitation of carbides from type 316 stainless steel is associated with enhanced irradiation-induced creep and swelling. Carbide precipitation occurs in irradiated type 316 materials at lower temperatures than in their unirradiated counterparts. Once the precipitate is formed, there is little tendency for it to dissolve back into the matrix upon further irradiation; thus, an irreversible change in the material's response to neutron irradiation occurs. The degree of precipitation and its effects on in-reactor strain have been investigated, and the results were used to explain double peaks in diameter profiles of irradiated fuel elements.