Transition from Irradiation-Induced Amorphization to Crystallization in Nanocrystalline Silicon Carbide

Journal Article · Thu Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 94(12):4127–4130

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1551-2916.2011.04887.x· OSTI ID:1032405

Jiang, Weilin; Jiao, Liang; Wang, Haiyan

Response to irradiation of nanocrystalline 3C-SiC is studied using 2 MeV Au+ ions near the critical temperature for amorphization and is compared to the behavior of its monocrystalline counterpart under the identical irradiation conditions. The irradiated samples have been characterized using in-situ ion channeling, ex-situ x-ray diffraction, and helium ion microscopy. Compared to monocrystalline 3C-SiC, a faster amorphization process in the nanocrystalline material (average grain size = 3.3 nm) is observed at 500 K. However, the nanograin grows with increasing ion fluence at 550 K and the grain size tends to saturate at high fluences. The striking contrast demonstrates a sharp transition from irradiation-induced interface-driven amorphization at 500 K to crystallization at 550 K. The results could show potential impacts of nanocrystalline SiC on nuclear fuel cladding and structural components of next-generation nuclear energy systems.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US), Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1032405
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-82117; 44713; KC0201020
• Journal Information: Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 94(12):4127–4130, Journal Name: Journal of the American Ceramic Society, 94(12):4127–4130 Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 94; ISSN 0002-7820; ISSN JACTAW
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
AMORPHOUS STATE
CLADDING
CRITICAL TEMPERATURE
CRYSTALLIZATION
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
GRAIN SIZE
HELIUM IONS
ION CHANNELING
IRRADIATION
Irradiation effects
MICROSCOPY
NUCLEAR ENERGY
NUCLEAR FUELS
SILICON CARBIDES
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
nanocrystals
silicon carbide