Radiation tolerant nanocrystalline ZrN films under high dose heavy-ion irradiations

Journal Article · Tue Apr 14 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4917381· OSTI ID:22402855

Jiao, L.; Yu, K. Y. ^[1]; Chen, D. ^[2]; Jacob, C. ^[3]; Shao, L. ^[1]; Zhang, X. ^[1]

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1. Department of Material Science and Engineering, Texas A and M University, College Station, Texas 77843 (United States)
2. Department of Nuclear Engineering, Texas A and M University, College Station, Texas 77843 (United States)
3. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A and M University, College Station, Texas 77843 (United States)

ZrN, a refractory ceramic material, finds many potential applications in advanced nuclear reactors. However, the grain size dependent radiation response in nanocrystalline (nc) ZrN under high dose heavy ion irradiation has not yet been studied to date. Here, we compare the radiation response of nc-ZrN films (with a respective average grain size of ∼9 and 31 nm) to Fe{sup 2+} ion irradiations up to a damage level of 10 displacements-per-atom (dpa). The ZrN film with the average grain size of 9 nm shows prominently enhanced radiation tolerance as evidenced by suppressed grain growth, alleviated radiation softening, as well as reduced variation in electrical resistivity. In contrast, ZrN with the larger average grain size of 31 nm shows prominent radiation softening and resistivity increase, attributed to the high density of defect cluster formed inside the grains. The influence of grain boundaries on enhanced irradiation tolerance in nc-ZrN is discussed.

• OSTI ID: 22402855
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 117; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ATOMIC DISPLACEMENTS
CERAMICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CRYSTALS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
GRAIN GROWTH
GRAIN SIZE
IRON IONS
IRRADIATION
NANOSTRUCTURES
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION HARDNESS
REACTOR MATERIALS
THIN FILMS
ZIRCONIUM NITRIDES