HOT HARDNESS AND INDENTATION CREEP STUDIES ON ZR-1NB-1SN-0.1FE ALLOY

The hot hardness behaviour of the Zr-1Nb-1Sn-0.1Fe alloy was evaluated from room temperature to 1173 K at 100 K intervals. The hardness vers us temperature data for this alloy can be represented by the relations hip H = kappa exp(-BT). The indentation creep measurements of the abov e mentioned alloy were carried out using a load of 300 g at 573, 673, 773, 873 and 973 K. The stress exponent obtained from hardness-time pl ots was found to be temperature dependant and decreases from a value o f nearly 42 at 573 K to similar to 5 at 973 K. The activation energy f or creep was also found to be temperature dependant for this alloy. At least four different domains of creep were observed in the temperatur e range of 573-973 K. The mechanism in the temperature regime of 573-6 73 K was found to be athermal. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.