Helium bubble evolution in a Zr–Sn–Nb–Fe–Cr alloy during post-annealing: An in-situ investigation

Journal Article · Tue Sep 15 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Materials Characterization

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATCHAR.2015.07.025· OSTI ID:22476174

Shen, H. H. ^[1]; Peng, S. M.; Chen, B. ^[2]; Naab, F. N. ^[3]; Sun, G. A.; Zhou, W. ^[2]; Xiang, X. ^[1]

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1. School of Physical Electronics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China)
2. Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China)
3. Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)

The formation of helium bubbles is considered to be detrimental to the mechanical performance of the nuclear materials. The growth behaviors of helium bubbles in a helium ion implanted Zr–Sn–Nb–Fe–Cr alloy with respect to the helium fluence and subsequently annealing procedure were investigated by in-situ transmission electron microscopy. In the as-implanted sample, the measured size distributions of the helium bubbles are consistent with the simulated helium concentrations. Moreover, the mean size of the helium bubbles increases with the increase of the irradiation temperatures and the helium fluence. The in-situ heating study performed in a transmission electron microscope indicates that the mean size of the helium bubbles increase slowly below 923 K and dramatically above 923 K. The coarsening mechanism of the helium bubbles in the alloy is suggested based on the study. - Highlights: • Helium bubble growth in zirconium with annealing was in-situ investigated in TEM. • The mean helium bubble size increase with helium fluence and annealing temperature. • Helium bubble size distribution is same as that of helium concentration by SRIM. • Mean bubble size increases slowly and quickly with temperature below and above 923 K. • The growth mechanism of the helium bubbles in Zr alloy has been discussed.

• OSTI ID: 22476174
• Journal Information: Materials Characterization, Journal Name: Materials Characterization Vol. 107; ISSN 1044-5803; ISSN MACHEX
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALLOY SYSTEMS
ANNEALING
CHROMIUM COMPOUNDS
DISTRIBUTION
HEATING
HELIUM
IRON COMPOUNDS
IRRADIATION
NIOBIUM COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
SIMULATION
TIN COMPOUNDS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS