Nanoscale Engineering Of Radiation Tolerant Silicon Carbide
Radiation tolerance is determined by how effectively the microstructure can remove point defects produced by irradiation. Engineered nanocrystalline SiC with a high-density of stacking faults (SFs) has significantly enhanced recombination of interstitials and vacancies, leading to selfhealing of irradiation-induced defects. While single crystal SiC readily undergoes an irradiationinduced crystalline to amorphous transformation at room temperature, the nano-engineered SiC with a high-density of SFs exhibits more than an order of magnitude increase in radiation resistance. Molecular dynamics simulations of collision cascades show that the nano-layered SFs lead to enhanced mobility of interstitial Si atoms. The remarkable radiation resistance in the nano-engineered SiC is attributed to the high-density of SFs within nano-sized grain structures that significantly enhance point defect annihilation.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 1054475
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-91669; 34899; KP1704020
- Journal Information:
- Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP, 14(38):13429-13436, Journal Name: Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP, 14(38):13429-13436
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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