Radiation effects in nuclear reactor materials—correlation with structure

Abstract

A review of radiation effects in nuclear reactor materials has been made; the irradiation effects have been correlated with the crystal structure of the materials. Five phenomena, irradiation hardening, irradiation embrittlement, irradiation creep, irradiation growth and void swelling that occur in materials by neutron irradiation in a reactor environment have been discussed with a view to explaining the physics of the phenomena and the engineering consequences. Metallurgical approaches for improving the irradiation performance of materials and for developing new alloys with better resistance to radiation damage have been pointed out.

Effect of fast neutron irradiation on tensile properties of AISI 304 stainless steel and alloy Ti–6Al–4V

“…However, the change becomes quite significant at the highest fluence of 4.8 × 10 18 ncm −2 . These observations are in accord with the earlier observations made in iron and steels [15][16][17]. The ratio of the tensile strength to yield strength (s UTS /s YS ), taken as a measure of degree of work hardening, is much higher in the unirradiated condition as compared to that in the irradiated one (4.8 × 10 18 ncm −2 ).…”

Quadro Comparativo Da Integridade Estrutural Das Ligas De Zircônio E Aços Inoxidáveis Austeníticos Sob Irradiação Neutrônica

“…Em metais puros, o impedimento ao movimento de discordâncias deve ser originado diretamente dos defeitos do reticulado induzidos pela irradiação. Em ligas, efeitos indiretos como precipitação induzida pela radiação também são possíveis [14]. Na medida em que a temperatura da irradiação aumenta, surgem efeitos planares (bidimensionais) como zonas depletadas, as quais podem colapsar em aglomerados planares de lacunas e em anéis de lacunas.…”

“…O desenvolvimento de vazios nos materiais requer especificamente três condições majoritárias: (i) que haja uma supersaturação de lacunas e (ii) que as lacunas sejam capazes de se movimentar antes de serem aniquiladas pelos interstícios. O último requisito é satisfeito através do fato de outros defeitoscomo discordânciasserem capazes de polarizar interstícios e absorver mais interstícios que lacunas [14]. Embora haja muitas diferenças, há muita similaridade na formação de vazios em ligas e em metais, principalmente entre ligas de zircônio e aços.…”

Evolution of Gold Nanoparticles in Radiation Environments

“…Ionizing radiation is known to have the ability to drastically alter material microstructure and performance primarily through the displacement of constituent atoms from their lattice sites, resulting in the generation of damage and point defects [1,2]. These point defects tend to diffuse and coalesce into larger, ordered defect structures such as dislocation loops, cavities, and stacking faults, typically resulting in deleterious effects in structural materials such as radiation-induced hardening and embrittlement or void swelling [1,2].…”