Principal Investigator Ronald Ballinger
Co-investigator Peter Stahle
Spinodal decomposition is a precipitation process in ferritic Fe-Cr alloys where a phase separation occurs to form Cr-rich and Cr-lean phases in a periodic arrangement. In reference to boiling water reactors (BWR) the concern exists particularly in welds. A better understanding of spinodal decomposition effects on stainless steel welds will allow for improved engineering judgment in terms of the useful lifetime of welds at temperature.