Atomic and microstructural origins of stored energy release in neutron-irradiated silicon carbide

Sprouster, David; Koyanagi, Takaaki; Drey, D. L.; Kato, Yutai; Snead, Lance

doi:10.1103/physrevmaterials.5.103601

Atomic and microstructural origins of stored energy release in neutron-irradiated silicon carbide

Journal Article · Fri Oct 08 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Physical Review Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevmaterials.5.103601· OSTI ID:1826005

^[1]; ^[2]; Drey, D. L. ^[3]; ^[2]; Snead, Lance ^[4]

State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Stony Brook, NY (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Stony Brook, NY (United States); Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

Here, we employ a combination of advanced synchrotron-based scattering characterization techniques to understand and unravel the atomic origins of the colossal stored energy release in neutron-irradiated silicon carbide. The quantification of the neutron irradiation-induced defects and their impact on the structure-property relationship are important for the design and safe operation of advanced fission and fusion reactors. Our experimental results show that the atomic structure in the as-irradiated samples is significantly perturbed due to a large fraction of vacancy- and interstitial-type defects that lead to complex microstructures and additional components in the x-ray diffraction and pair distribution function (PDF) results. We directly correlate the stored energy release to the recovery of the sublattices with PDF analysis, highlighting that the carbon interstitial- and vacancy-type defects contribute to stored energy more than those of silicon. Finally, we find these results to be striking and believe our discoveries to be timely and noteworthy given the technological importance of silicon carbide to the nuclear fission and fusion communities.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

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

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

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; AC07-05ID14517; SC0012704; SC0018322

OSTI ID:: 1826005

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1825642

Journal Information:: Physical Review Materials, Journal Name: Physical Review Materials Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 5; ISSN 2475-9953

Publisher:: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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