Effect of Pre-Hoop Expansion Deformation on High-Temperature Mechanical Properties of Zirconium Plate at 400 °C

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors submitted a work „ Effect of pre-hoop expansion deformation on high temperature mechanical properties of zirconium plate at 400℃”  into consideration in Journal of Composites Science. The manuscript can be published after major revision. My comments and suggestions are presented below.

Introduction

-Lines 63-73. The objective of studying pre-hoop expansion deformation effects is stated but could benefit from emphasizing its practical significance in nuclear power plant safety or material optimization.

Material and methodology

-Line 86. Describe how the strain rate (10^-5 s^-1) was determined and its implications for real-world applications.

Results and discussion

-Expand on the physical mechanisms behind the observed linear relationships between tensile properties and pre-strain (Equations 2-4). While stress field simulation is mentioned, further insights into the microstructural changes affecting these properties would strengthen the argument.

-Table 1, 2,3. Consider summarizing key findings from tables into a visual format (e.g., bar charts or trend lines) for better accessibility.

-Include a comparison of findings with other materials or similar studies to underscore the novelty and generalizability of the conclusions.

-Figure 3. Can the authors provide more details on how the grain fragmentation and orientation changes contribute to the mechanical behavior at 400°C?

- Could the methods and findings be applied to other Zr-based alloys or materials used in similar high-temperature conditions?

Conclusions

-Strengthen the conclusion by connecting the findings more directly to potential applications in material design or nuclear reactor safety.

 

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Review of "Effect of pre-hoop expansion deformation on high temperature mechanical properties of zirconium plate at 400℃" by Haidong Qi, Li You and Xiping Song

 

The study explores how pre-hoop expansion affects zirconium plate properties at 400°C. Pre-strain increases strength but reduces ductility and creep life. Fatigue-creep life peaks at moderate strain for low stress ratios, then declines. Simulations and fracture analysis link stress fields to mechanical behavior.

 

The reviewer has the following comments:

 

1. The assumption that the hoop strain in the plate equals that of the compressed steel cylinder is strong and should be discussed. Factors like friction, deformation heterogeneity, and material mismatch may affect accuracy.
2. The use of 400°C as the only test temperature should be better justified, as operating conditions range from 290°C to 400°C.
3. The choice of creep stress levels, particularly the 276 MPa threshold, requires clearer justification.
4. The selected stress ratios (0.1 to 0.9) for fatigue-creep tests are reasonable, but the rationale for this specific set should be provided.
5. SEM images are useful, but the analysis is mostly qualitative. Quantitative measures would strengthen the conclusions.
6. Several empirical equations are presented, but their predictive utility is not verified.
7. The quality of data fitting should be quantified using metrics such as R² (coefficient of determination), which indicates how well the model explains the variance in the data.
8. The finite element simulations are basic. More detail on boundary conditions and material properties is needed. Including thermal effects and zirconium anisotropy would improve realism in future work.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The authors submitted a revised version of manuscript "Effect of pre-hoop expansion deformation on high temperature mechanical properties of zirconium plate at 400℃". The authors included all my suggestions, so manuscript can be published if other reviewers agree for it. 

 

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Review of “Effect of pre-hoop expansion deformation on high temperature mechanical properties of zirconium plate at 400℃” by Haidong Qi, Li You and Xiping Song

 

The authors have provided detailed and satisfactory responses to all my comments. They addressed each point clearly, made the necessary modifications to the manuscript, and improved the overall quality of the work. I believe the paper is now suitable for publication and I recommend its acceptance.