Abstract

EUROFER is a reduced-activity ferritic-martensitic steel used in the construction of nuclear fusion reactors. Despite its good properties of mechanical strength, corrosion, creep, and radioactive damage, its maximum working temperature is 500 °C due to microstructural changes that occur above this condition. This study aims to investigate the use of niobium pentoxide (Nb₂O₅) in EUROFER-based alloys through a high-energy milling technique. EUROFER chips were processed in a planetary ball mill with different concentrations of Nb₂O₅ for 10 h. The results showed a reduction of approximately 32% in the particle size distribution of the milled powders compared to pure EUROFER. The X-ray diffraction patterns revealed a decrease solely in the lattice parameters of pure EUROFER and samples containing 3% Nb₂O₅. The addition of Nb₂O₅ also resulted in a reduction in saturation magnetization, and an increase in coercivity and magnetic remanence.

Keywords:
EUROFER; niobium pentoxide; powder metallurgy; high-energy milling; magnetic properties