Effect of self-ion irradiation on the microstructural changes of alloy EK-181 in annealed and severely deformed conditions


Aydogan E., Chen T., Gigax J. G., Chen D., Wang X., Dzhumaev P. S., ...More

JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS, vol.487, pp.96-104, 2017 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 487
  • Publication Date: 2017
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.02.006
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.96-104
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

EK-181 is a low-activation ferriticimartensitic steel that is an attractive candidate for in-core component materials for both fast reactors and fusion reactors. To assess the effect of microstructural engineering on radiation response, two variants of EK-181 were studied: one in an annealed condition and the other subject to severe plastic deformation. These specimens were irradiated with 3.5 MeV Fe self-ions up to 400 peak displacements per atom (dpa) at temperatures ranging from 400 degrees C to 500 degrees C. The deformation did not suppress swelling over the whole irradiated region. Instead, deformed samples showed higher swelling in the near-surface region. Void swelling was found to be correlated with grain boundary instability. Significant grain growth occurred when steady-state void growth started. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.