Metal-nanotube composites as radiation resistant materials

Journal Article · Mon Jul 18 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4959246· OSTI ID:22594479

González, Rafael I.; Valencia, Felipe; Mella, José; Kiwi, Miguel ^[1]; Duin, Adri C. T. van ^[2]; So, Kang Pyo; Li, Ju ^[3]; Bringa, Eduardo M. ^[4]

---

1. Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias, CEDENNA, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago 7800024 (Chile)
2. Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States)
3. Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (United States)
4. CONICET and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza 5500 (Argentina)

The improvement of radiation resistance in nanocomposite materials is investigated by means of classical reactive molecular dynamics simulations. In particular, we study the influence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in an Ni matrix on the trapping and possible outgassing of He. When CNTs are defect-free, He atoms diffuse alongside CNT walls and, although there is He accumulation at the metal-CNT interface, no He trespassing of the CNT wall is observed, which is consistent with the lack of permeability of a perfect graphene sheet. However, when vacancies are introduced to mimic radiation-induced defects, He atoms penetrate CNTs, which play the role of nano-chimneys, allowing He atoms to escape the damaged zone and reduce bubble formation in the matrix. Consequently, composites made of CNTs inside metals are likely to display improved radiation resistance, particularly when radiation damage is related to swelling and He-induced embrittlement.

• OSTI ID: 22594479
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 109, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BUBBLES
BUILDUP
CARBON NANOTUBES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DEFECTS
FORMATION DAMAGE
GRAPHENE
HELIUM
MATRICES
METALS
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS METHOD
NANOCOMPOSITES
PERMEABILITY
RADIATION EFFECTS
SWELLING
VACANCIES
WALLS