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Title: Metal-nanotube composites as radiation resistant materials

Abstract

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.

Authors:
; ; ;  [1];  [2]; ;  [3];  [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)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22594479
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Applied Physics Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 109; Journal Issue: 3; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
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

Citation Formats

González, Rafael I., Valencia, Felipe, Mella, José, Kiwi, Miguel, Duin, Adri C. T. van, So, Kang Pyo, Li, Ju, and Bringa, Eduardo M. Metal-nanotube composites as radiation resistant materials. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4959246.
González, Rafael I., Valencia, Felipe, Mella, José, Kiwi, Miguel, Duin, Adri C. T. van, So, Kang Pyo, Li, Ju, & Bringa, Eduardo M. Metal-nanotube composites as radiation resistant materials. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4959246
González, Rafael I., Valencia, Felipe, Mella, José, Kiwi, Miguel, Duin, Adri C. T. van, So, Kang Pyo, Li, Ju, and Bringa, Eduardo M. 2016. "Metal-nanotube composites as radiation resistant materials". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4959246.
@article{osti_22594479,
title = {Metal-nanotube composites as radiation resistant materials},
author = {González, Rafael I. and Valencia, Felipe and Mella, José and Kiwi, Miguel and Duin, Adri C. T. van and So, Kang Pyo and Li, Ju and Bringa, Eduardo M.},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4959246},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22594479}, journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
issn = {0003-6951},
number = 3,
volume = 109,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 18 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Mon Jul 18 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}