Design of radiation resistant metallic multilayers for advanced nuclear systems
- Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Helium implantation from transmutation reactions is a major cause of embrittlement and dimensional instability of structural components in nuclear energy systems. Development of novel materials with improved radiation resistance, which is of the utmost importance for progress in nuclear energy, requires guidelines to arrive at favorable parameters more efficiently. Here, we present a methodology that can be used for the design of radiation tolerant materials. We used synchrotron X-ray reflectivity to nondestructively study radiation effects at buried interfaces and measure swelling induced by He implantation in Cu/Nb multilayers. The results, supported by transmission electron microscopy, show a direct correlation between reduced swelling in nanoscale multilayers and increased interface area per unit volume, consistent with helium storage in Cu/Nb interfaces in forms that minimize dimensional changes. In addition, for Cu/Nb layers, a linear relationship is demonstrated between the measured depth-dependent swelling and implanted He density from simulations, making the reflectivity technique a powerful tool for heuristic material design.
- Research Organization:
- Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Materials at Irradiation and Mechanical Extremes (CMIME)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22)
- OSTI ID:
- 1384372
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 24 Vol. 104; ISSN 0003-6951
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
| Carbon Nanotubes Enhance the Radiation Resistance of bcc Iron Revealed by Atomistic Study 
 | journal | January 2019 | 
| Helium Irradiation and Implantation Effects on the Structure of Amorphous Silicon Oxycarbide 
 | journal | June 2017 | 
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