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Long-Term Evolution of Microstructure, Density, and Yield Strength of Pure Lead After Solidification Under Different
Bingjie Wu1, Hailuo Zhong2, Weibing Liao2
1Science and Technology on Reactor System Design Technology Laboratory, Chengdu 610041, China.
Abstract:
Lead-based alloy has received widespread attention as a coolant in nuclear reactors. However, there is limited research on pure lead after solidification. In this study, a systematic investigation was conducted on the long-term evolution of the microstructure and physical properties of pure lead samples solidified under different cooling rates, with a comparative analysis against of lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE). Microscopic detection (using optical and electron microscopes), density measurement, and compressive mechanical testing were carried out. The study results show that during the long-term evolution process after solidification (at room temperature of 27 °C), pure lead samples spontaneously undergo recovery and recrystallization, with larger grain size and more uniform microstructure. The density of samples remains within a stable range. The yield strength of samples after solidification will gradually decrease over time. For example, after 180 days of evolution, the yield strength of the rapidly cooled sample (10 K/min) decreased from 4.879 MPa to 3.766 MPa.
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