Fundamental Mechanisms for Irradiation-Hardening and Embrittlement: A Review

Xiao, Xiazi

doi:10.3390/met9101132

Cited by 33 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 130 publications

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“…These changes affect the material properties and eventually lead to material failure [ 3 , 4 ]. For example, exposing metals to irradiation results in hardening and embrittlement due to the production of defects which impede the motion of dislocations [ 3 , 5 , 6 ] and degrade the thermal conductivity [ 7 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal and Radiation Stability in Nanocrystalline Cu

et al. 2023

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Nanocrystalline metals have presented intriguing possibilities for use in radiation environments due to their high grain boundary volume, serving as enhanced irradiation-induced defect sinks. Their promise has been lessened due to the propensity for nanocrystalline metals to suffer deleterious grain growth from combinations of irradiation and/or elevated homologous temperature. While approaches for stabilizing such materials against grain growth are the subject of current research, there is still a lack of central knowledge on the irradiation–grain boundary interactions in pure metals despite many studies on the same. Due to the breadth of available reports, we have critically reviewed studies on irradiation and thermal stability in pure, nanocrystalline copper (Cu) as a model FCC material, and on a few dilute Cu-based alloys. Our study has shown that, viewed collectively, there are large differences in interpretation of irradiation–grain boundary interactions, primarily due to a wide range of irradiation environments and variability in materials processing. We discuss the sources of these differences and analyses herein. Then, with the goal of gaining a more overarching mechanistic understanding of grain size stability in pure materials under irradiation, we provide several key recommendations for making meaningful evaluations across materials with different processing and under variable irradiation conditions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal and Radiation Stability in Nanocrystalline Cu

et al. 2023

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“…The changes in the crystal lattice induced by this neutron irradiation (n irradiation) can also result in a change of mechanical properties, i.e. irradiation hardening [10]. Another problematic consequence of n irradiation is the creation of gaseous reaction products, such as He, which can cause irradiation swelling [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dislocation structure of tungsten irradiated by light ions

et al. 2022

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Single crystalline tungsten samples were irradiated by He, D, and H at room temperature, with a calculated damage level in the peak maximum up to 0.04 dpa and with He up to 0.5 dpa. The dislocation structure of the whole damage zone was investigated perpendicular to the irradiated surface by transmission electron microscopy under four different two-beam diffraction conditions g= -200, 020, -110, 110 close to the [100] zone axis, taking bright-field kinematical images. The depth of the damage zone observed by Transmission Electron Microscopy is in good agreement with the damage depth calculated by SRIM. The damage zones of the tungsten samples irradiated by He, D, H up to 0.04 dpa can be subdivided into four subzones. Significant differences in the dislocation structures between the different ion species despite comparable calculated damage levels were found at the depth close to the damage peak maximum. In this depth, the damage zone of tungsten irradiated by He consists of small dense dislocation loops (≤ 3 nm) with high strain fields. Irradiation by D creates large dislocation loops with an average diameter of 15-22 nm depending on the set diffraction condition. The damage zone of H-irradiated tungsten is dominated by long dislocation lines at the depth of the damage peak maximum. No transition from dislocation loops to lines was found in the sample irradiated with He up to 0.5 dpa. This is probably due to He bubbles, which hinder the loops to aggregate into lines. This work shows that the displacement damage obtained by the irradiation of tungsten at room temperature with light ions is significantly different to tungsten irradiated to the same calculated damage level by medium to high-mass ions [B. Wielunska et al., Nucl. Fusion 62 (2022) 096003].

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“…It is, in general, essential to investigate correlations between the microstructure and properties of materials [16]. Over recent decades, irradiation hardening and embrittlement have been widely observed in nuclear structural materials with different crystalline structures [15,[17][18][19][20], e.g., facecentered cubic (FCC) [21][22][23][24], body-centered cubic (BCC) [25][26][27] and hexagonal closepacked (HCP) [28][29][30] materials [31]. Crystals present both translational and orientational properties of symmetry, which govern their physical properties [32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multicriteria Analytical Model for Mechanical Integrity Prognostics of Reactor Pressure Vessels Manufactured from Forged and Rolled Steels

Rodríguez-Prieto

Callejas²,

Primera

et al. 2022

Mathematics

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The aim of this work is to present a new analytical model to evaluate jointly the mechanical integrity and the fitness-for-service of nuclear reactor pressure-vessels steels. This new methodology integrates a robust and regulated irradiation embrittlement prediction model such as the ASTM E-900 with the ASME Fitness-for-Service code used widely in other demanding industries, such as oil and gas, to evaluate, among others, the risk of experiencing degradation mechanisms such as the brittle fracture (generated, in this case, due to the irradiation embrittlement). This multicriteria analytical model, which is based on a new formulation of the brittle fracture criterion, allows an adequate prediction of the irradiation effect on the fracture toughness of reactor pressure-vessel steels, letting us jointly evaluate the mechanical integrity and the fitness-for-service of the vessel by using standardized limit conditions. This allows making decisions during the design, manufacturing and in-service of reactor pressure vessels. The results obtained by the application of the methodology are coherent with several historical experimental works.

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Fundamental Mechanisms for Irradiation-Hardening and Embrittlement: A Review

Cited by 33 publications

References 130 publications

Thermal and Radiation Stability in Nanocrystalline Cu

Thermal and Radiation Stability in Nanocrystalline Cu

Dislocation structure of tungsten irradiated by light ions

Multicriteria Analytical Model for Mechanical Integrity Prognostics of Reactor Pressure Vessels Manufactured from Forged and Rolled Steels

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