Vanadium-base alloys are promising candidate materials for application
in fusion reactor structural components because of several important
advantages. V-4Cr-4Ti has been identified as one of the most promising
candidate alloys and was selected for comprehensive tests and examina
tion. In the present investigation, thermal creep rates and stress-rup
ture life of V-4Cr-4Ti and V-10Cr-STi alloys were determined at 600 de
grees C. The impurity composition and microstructural characteristics
of creep-tested specimens were analyzed and correlated with the measur
ed creep properties. The results of these tests shaw that V-4Cr-4Ti, w
hich contains impurity compositions typical of a commercially fabricat
ed vanadium-based alloy, exhibits creep strength substantially superio
r to that of V-20Ti, HT-9, or type 316 stainless steel. The V-10Cr-5Ti
alloy exhibits creep strength somewhat higher than that of V-4Cr-4Ti.