ACTIVATION RESPONSE OF MARTENSITIC STEELS

A hypothetical martensitic steel has been compositionally designed in order to optimize both metallurgical and reduced activation properties . When compared with two other martensitic steels, its activation char acteristics are shown to be superior for all activation indices examin ed. However, these excellent properties are found to be due to the ass umed absence of deleterious tramp impurities. When limiting impurity c oncentrations are determined for the hypothetical steel, they are foun d to be extremely stringent, and wholly unachievable using industrial scale production methods. It is concluded that only slight improvement s can be made to currently available low activation martensitic steels to reduce residual activity responses further.