Effects of stress triaxiality and strain rate on the fracture of a CuCrZr alloy

Precipitation hardened Copper-Chromium-Zirconium (CuCrZr) alloy is a prime candidate for divertor components in future European DEMOnstration (DEMO) fusion reactors. To develop the DEMO Design Criteria In-vessel Components (DDC-IC), failure criterion of CuCrZr needs to be investigated. Hence, effects stress triaxiality and loading strain rate on fracture solution heat treated annealed alloys were studied using digital-imaging-correlation electron microscopy techniques. It was found that an increase caused significant decrease over 50% equivalent fracture. On other hand, increasing applied from 1.3 × 10−5 s−1to 8.6 10−3 s−1 had no considerable yield elongation. However, higher flow stresses larger number density voids observed under highest s−1. Fracture surface analysis showed model dominated by void growth coalescence all tests. This work has been performed within Engineering Data Integration (EDDI) sub-project EUROfusion Materials package aimed contribute development Components.