Temperature-dependent cavity swelling in dual-ion irradiated Fe and Fe-Cr ferritic alloys

Lin, Yan-Ru; Bhattacharya, Arunodaya; Chen, Da; Kai, Ji-Jung; Henry, Jean; Zinkle, Steven J.

doi:10.1016/j.actamat.2021.116660

Temperature-dependent cavity swelling in dual-ion irradiated Fe and Fe-Cr ferritic alloys

Journal Article · Mon Jan 18 23:00:00 EST 2021 · Acta Materialia

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2021.116660· OSTI ID:1767845

^[1]; ^[2]; Chen, Da ^[3]; Kai, Ji-Jung ^[3]; Henry, Jean ^[4]; Zinkle, Steven J. ^[5]

Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
City Univ. of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Univ. Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette (France)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Fe-Cr ferritic-martensitic (FM) steels are promising structural material candidates for fusion and advanced fission reactors due to their attractive mechanical properties and volumetric swelling resistance. However, significant discrepancies exist regarding the effect of solutes and irradiation temperature on cavity swelling under ion versus neutron irradiation conditions. In this study, simultaneous dual ion irradiations (8 MeV Ni³⁺ ions and energy-degraded 3.5 MeV He²⁺ ions) were used to quantify the cavity swelling behavior in ultra-high purity Fe and Fe-Cr alloys (3-14 wt.% Cr), Fe-10 wt.% Cr-780 wt.ppm C, and Eurofer97 FM steel. The irradiations were conducted over a wide temperature range (400-550°C) with a mid-range dose of ~30 displacements per atom (dpa) and 0.1 appm/dpa He implantation rate. Here, using state-of-the-art transmission electron microscopy (TEM), we reveal that pure Fe has a ~50°C lower peak swelling temperature difference than Fe-Cr alloys, which is attributed to higher vacancy mobility in pure Fe. Chromium solute appears to strongly suppress cavity swelling in Fe-Cr alloys for temperatures below ~470°C, but seems to have little effect or slightly enhances swelling above ~470°C. Cavities were observed in all the irradiated samples between 400-550°C. This indicates that the narrow temperature range of observable cavities reported in prior ion irradiated Fe-Cr ferritic alloy studies is likely an artifact associated with the use of low ion energies (<5 MeV), which leads to pronounced near-surface and implanted ion effects that suppress cavity swelling even at midrange depths (particularly at high temperatures).

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES); USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); European Research Council (ERC)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; SC0006661

OSTI ID:: 1767845

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1780037

Journal Information:: Acta Materialia, Journal Name: Acta Materialia Journal Issue: n.a. Vol. 207; ISSN 1359-6454

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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