Evolution of microstructure in zirconium alloys during irradiation
- Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River, Ontario (Canada). Chalk River Labs.
X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have been used to characterize microstructural and microchemical changes produced by neutron irradiation in zirconium and zirconium alloys. Zircaloy-2, Zircaloy-4, and Zr-2.5Nb alloys with differing metallurgical states have been analyzed after irradiation for neutron fluences up to 25 {times} 10{sup 25} n.m{sup {minus}2} for a range of temperatures between 330 and 580 K. Irradiation modifies the dislocation structure through nucleation and growth of dislocation loops and, for cold-worked materials in particular, climb of existing network dislocations. in general, the a-type dislocation structure tends to saturate at low fluences. The c-component dislocation structure, however, may evolve over long periods of irradiation. The phase structure is also modified by irradiation. The common alloying/impurity elements, Fe, Cr, and Ni, are relatively insoluble in the {alpha}-phase during irradiation irrespective of the state of the phase initially containing these elements, i.e., metastable {beta}-phase or stable intermetallic precipitate. The stable intermetallic particles may undergo structural changes dependent on their composition and the temperature. For the metastable dual-phase {alpha}/{beta}-alloys (Zr-2.5Nb alloy), the {beta}-phase structure is modified during irradiation, but the change is complex, being a combination of thermal decomposition and radiation-induced mixing.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Organization of CANDU Industries, Toronto, ON (Canada)
- OSTI ID:
- 479454
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950926-; TRN: 97:010523
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 11. international symposium on zirconium in the nuclear industry, Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany), 11-14 Sep 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Zirconium in the nuclear industry: Eleventh international symposium; Bradley, E.R. [ed.] [Sandvik Special Metals Corp., Kennewick, WA (United States)]; Sabol, G.P. [ed.] [Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)]; PB: 911 p.; American Society for Testing and Materials STP 1295
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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