Physical mechanisms and parameters for models of microstructure evolution under irradiation in Fe alloys – Part I: Pure Fe

Malerba, Lorenzo; Anento, N.; Balbuena, J.P.; Becquart, Charlotte; Castin, N.; Caturla, M.J.; Domain, Christophe; Guerrero, C.; Ortiz, C.J.; Pannier, B.; Serra, A.

doi:10.1016/j.nme.2021.101069

Cited by 10 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 169 publications

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“…The output of these models acts then as input to meso-and macroscopic length scale models, in a multiscale modelling framework and spirit, thereby enabling prediction of the changes experienced by the materials properties in operation. Since the modelling tools are generally computationally costly to run and often use parallelised software, the use of high-performance computing (HPC) can be a crucial asset; although in reality the bottleneck to physics-based model development is not only computing power, but mainly the correct identification and parameterization of all important physical mechanisms [163,164]. Eventually, correlations of fast application such as those used for RPV steels or performance codes such as those used for fuel should be able to make use of the background information that these models provide, using better parameters and models and including more correct underlying mechanisms, possibly under a single platform [165,166].…”

Section: Advanced Modelling and Characterisationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Materials for Sustainable Nuclear Energy: A European Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for All Reactor Generations

Malerba

Mazouzi²,

Bertolus

et al. 2022

Energies

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Nuclear energy is presently the single major low-carbon electricity source in Europe and is overall expected to maintain (perhaps eventually even increase) its current installed power from now to 2045. Long-term operation (LTO) is a reality in essentially all nuclear European countries, even when planning to phase out. New builds are planned. Moreover, several European countries, including non-nuclear or phasing out ones, have interests in next generation nuclear systems. In this framework, materials and material science play a crucial role towards safer, more efficient, more economical and overall more sustainable nuclear energy. This paper proposes a research agenda that combines modern digital technologies with materials science practices to pursue a change of paradigm that promotes innovation, equally serving the different nuclear energy interests and positions throughout Europe. This paper chooses to overview structural and fuel materials used in current generation reactors, as well as their wider spectrum for next generation reactors, summarising the relevant issues. Next, it describes the materials science approaches that are common to any nuclear materials (including classes that are not addressed here, such as concrete, polymers and functional materials), identifying for each of them a research agenda goal. It is concluded that among these goals are the development of structured materials qualification test-beds and materials acceleration platforms (MAPs) for materials that operate under harsh conditions. Another goal is the development of multi-parameter-based approaches for materials health monitoring based on different non-destructive examination and testing (NDE&T) techniques. Hybrid models that suitably combine physics-based and data-driven approaches for materials behaviour prediction can valuably support these developments, together with the creation and population of a centralised, “smart” database for nuclear materials.

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Section: Advanced Modelling and Characterisationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Materials for Sustainable Nuclear Energy: A European Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for All Reactor Generations

Malerba

Mazouzi²,

Bertolus

et al. 2022

Energies

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“…Advances were made also in the direction of identifying good practices for ion irradiation experiments [48], with the support of advanced microstructure evolution models [49][50][51]. The importance of choosing a high ion beam energy value, to mimic as much as possible neutron irradiation, has been clearly evidenced.…”

Section: M4f: Bringing Together Fusion and Fission Materials Communit...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is the first time that the influence of ion energy on the microstructural features has been observed [52]. For the interpretation of the experiments, three microstructure evolution models were developed which, combined, can provide a complete description of the radiation-induced microstructure under neutron and also ion irradiation, including all the specific features of the latter [49][50][51].…”

Section: M4f: Bringing Together Fusion and Fission Materials Communit...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a single European strategic research and innovation agenda on materials for all reactor generations through dedicated projects

Malerba

Agostini

Angiolini

et al. 2022

EPJ Nuclear Sci. Technol.

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The goal of the ORIENT-NM action is to produce a single European strategic vision on research and innovation concerning nuclear materials in the EU, serving all reactor generations and nuclear systems. The key in this endeavour is to focus on advanced materials science practices that, combined with digital techniques, will enable acceleration in materials development, manufacturing, supply, qualification, and monitoring, in support of nuclear energy safety, efficiency, economy and sustainability. The research agenda will be rooted in existing virtuous examples of nuclear materials science projects. Here the results of three of them are summarised, thereby covering different reactor applications and families of materials, as well as a range of advanced material research approaches. GEMMA addressed a number of key areas concerning the development and qualification of metallic structural materials for GenIV reactor conditions, focusing on austenitic steels and their compatibility with several non-aqueous coolants, their welds and the modelling of their stability under irradiation. INSPYRE was an integrated project applying a basic science approach to (U,Pu)O2 fuels, to develop physics-based models for the behaviour of nuclear fuels under irradiation and improve fuel performance codes. Modelling was also the focus of the M4F project, which brought together the fission and fusion materials communities to study the effects of localised deformation under irradiation in ferritic/martensitic steels and to develop good practices to use ion irradiation as a tool to evaluate radiation effects on materials.

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“…The Cr content of the relevant steels is typically set at around 10 wt% to achieve suitable corrosion resistance and above, as in oxide dispersion strengthened steels, [ 7 ] to avoid the γ‐loop in case of an accidental excursion to high temperature. However, this also places them in a situation where the α−α′ decomposition becomes an issue, [ 8 ] as observed in a neutron‐irradiated 9 wt% Cr model alloy. [ 9 ] It is therefore essential to mitigate the decomposition, starting with the investigation of Fe–Cr model alloys to avoid the complexity of steels that hinders the identification of the underlying fundamental mechanisms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermally Decomposed Binary Fe–Cr Alloys: Toward a Quantitative Relationship Between Strength and Structure

et al. 2021

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Binary Fe-Cr alloys represent model alloys for ferritic/martensitic steels, which have been considered for structural applications in future thermonuclear fusion reactors since the late 1970s, [1] due to their excellent thermal properties, corrosion properties, and swelling resistance under irradiation compared with austenitic steels. [1][2][3] One of the main challenges in this context is that structural materials in such reactors are expected to be exposed to temperatures where Cr segregation or even decomposition in Ferich α regions and Cr-rich α 0 regions can occur, inducing the known "475 C embrittlement." [4,5] This causes a hardening of over 100% and a drop in impact strength by orders of magnitude. [5,6] Extensive irradiation, with a lattice damage of over 100 displacements per atom (dpa) caused by fusion neutrons, [3] adds another factor that potentially contributes to αÀα 0 decomposition. The Cr content of the relevant steels is typically set at around 10 wt% to achieve suitable corrosion resistance and above, as in oxide dispersion strengthened steels, [7] to avoid the γ-loop in case of an accidental excursion to high temperature. However, this also places them in a situation where the αÀα 0 decomposition becomes an issue, [8] as observed in a neutron-irradiated 9 wt% Cr model alloy. [9] It is therefore essential to mitigate the decomposition, starting with the investigation of Fe-Cr model alloys to avoid the complexity of steels that hinders the identification of the underlying fundamental mechanisms. This can in turn help understand Cr segregation and its interplay with irradiation-induced lattice defects, [10] which can have similar deleterious effects on mechanical properties. That is critical to optimize ferritic/martensitic steels for fusion reactors.475 C embrittlement was identified in the 1950s [4] as a phenomenon that is unrelated to the formation of the intermetallic σ phase, and the idea of the miscibility gap was firmly established soon after. [5] At that point, the essential concepts surrounding this phenomenon were settled, which relate to the αÀα 0 separation, governed by chemical and magnetic energies. [5,11] Research continued in the following decades, often focusing on mechanical properties. [6,[12][13][14] Mössbauer spectroscopy and neutron scattering were common tools for obtaining information on the nanoscale structure. However, methods for detailed direct imaging were not available until the early 1990s, when advancements in atom probe tomography (APT) enabled 3D atomic mapping of the decomposed structures. [15,16] APT has since then become the most prominent method in the field.In recent times, APT has been used extensively to resolve the decomposed αÀα 0 structure, in, for example, the works of Novy et al., [17] Tissot et al., [18] and Reese et al. [19] . The first two studies showed detailed APT analyses of 20 and 19 at% Fe-Cr alloys annealed at 500 C for up to about 1000 h. They agree well with each other and with previous work [13] concerning the equilibrium compositions at ...

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Physical mechanisms and parameters for models of microstructure evolution under irradiation in Fe alloys – Part I: Pure Fe

Cited by 10 publications

References 169 publications

Materials for Sustainable Nuclear Energy: A European Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for All Reactor Generations

Materials for Sustainable Nuclear Energy: A European Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda for All Reactor Generations

Towards a single European strategic research and innovation agenda on materials for all reactor generations through dedicated projects

Thermally Decomposed Binary Fe–Cr Alloys: Toward a Quantitative Relationship Between Strength and Structure

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