Investigation of Microhardness and Strength Characteristics of Steel 16Cr12V2FTaR Subjected to Ultrasound Treatment

The materials used in nuclear power engineering as shells of heat releasing elements (HREI) are of significant importance. As it is known shell HREI should satisfy many demands: be mechanically reliable and provide the constancy of form, dimensions geometry at prolonged reactor operation; possess high physical and mechanical properties. In this connection large amount of investigations is devoted to studying resistance to vacancy intumescence and to the methods of increasing prolonged strength of low-activity steel due to thermotreatment duties varying as well. In carried out investigation it has been proposed to use ultrasound treatment as one of the ways of increasing mechanical properties of steel 16Cr12V2FTaR. However great attention has been paid to plastic deformation processes at uniaxial extending and three-point bend. It is of interest to study at once microhardness and some other strength characteristics of steel 16Cr12V2FTaR subjected to ultrasound effect.