Microstructural and compositional evolutions in $γ$-LiAlO2 pellets during ion irradiation at an elevated temperature

Jiang, Weilin; Kovarik, Libor; Wirth, Mark G.; Hu, Zhihan; Shao, Lin; Casella, Andrew M.; Senor, David J.

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.154925

Microstructural and compositional evolutions in $$γ$$-LiAlO₂ pellets during ion irradiation at an elevated temperature

Journal Article · Sat Jan 13 23:00:00 EST 2024 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.154925· OSTI ID:2282266

^[1]; Kovarik, Libor ^[1]; Wirth, Mark G. ^[1]; Hu, Zhihan ^[2]; Shao, Lin ^[2]; Casella, Andrew M. ^[1]; ^[1]

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Texas A & M University, College Station, TX (United States)

This study reports on the microstructural, phasic and compositional evolutions of γ-LiAlO₂ during ion irradiation. Polycrystalline γ-LiAlO₂ pellets were irradiated sequentially with He⁺ and D₂⁺ ions to the same combined fluences of up to 3 × 10¹⁷ (He⁺+D⁺)/cm² at 773 K. The irradiated pellets were characterized using scanning transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. Surface amorphization likely due to radiolysis and planar defects as a possible precursor for formation of precipitates are created at 5 × 10¹⁶ (He⁺+D⁺)/cm², followed by the formation of nano-sized precipitates and fractures at higher doses. Spinel-like precipitates of non-stoichiometric LiAl₅O₈ and gas-filled cavities are observed to grow with increasing dose. Faceted precipitates and rounded cavities appear at 2 × 10¹⁷ (He⁺+D⁺)/cm². With further increasing ion fluence to 3 × 10¹⁷ (He⁺+D⁺)/cm², amorphization of the precipitates takes place and micron-sized fractures appear. Surface exfoliation could occur at an extremely high ion fluence. There are compositional changes in the γ-LiAlO₂ pellets during the microstructural evolution. In the precipitate and amorphized regions, Li concentrations decrease to ~7 and 3.7 at.% from 25 at.% in γ-LiAlO₂, respectively. This study reveals a full-cycle microstructural evolution with corresponding compositional changes in γ-LiAlO₂ pellets during ion irradiation at 773 K. In conclusion, the data could help model, assess, and predict the material performance during neutron irradiation in reactors.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

OSTI ID:: 2282266

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2369122

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA--189223

Journal Information:: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Vol. 591; ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (35)

The morphology and defect characteristics of vertically pulled MgAl2O4 single crystals Cockayne, B.; Chesswas, M.; Born, P. J. Journal of Materials Science, Vol. 4, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00549923	journal	March 1969
Growth stoichiometric magnesium aluminate spinel crystals by flux evaporation Wood, J. D. C.; White, E. A. D. Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0248(68)90205-4	journal	January 1968
Growth and characterization of large stoichiometric magnesium aluminate spinel single crystals Wang, C. C.; McFarlane, S. H. Journal of Crystal Growth, Vol. 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0248(68)90206-6	journal	January 1968
Recent advances in the development of solid breeder blanket materials Johnson, C. E.; Hollenberg, G. W. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 123, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(84)90185-5	journal	May 1984
Irradiation damage in lithium ceramics Auvray-Gély, M. H.; Dunlop, A.; Hobbs, L. W. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 133-134 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(85)90140-0	journal	August 1985
Irradiation behaviour of a tritium breeding material, γ-LiAlO2- results of two in-pile experiments: ALICE I and ALICE II Botter, F.; Rasneur, B.; Roth, E. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 160, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(88)90006-2	journal	November 1988
Modeling of tritium behavior in ceramic breeder materials Kopasz, J. P.; Tam, S. W.; Johnson, C. E. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 155-157 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(88)90298-X	journal	July 1988
Modeling of tritium release from ceramic breeders: Status and some implications for next-step devices Federici, G.; Wu, C. H.; Raffray, A. R. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 187, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(92)90314-B	journal	March 1992
Modeling of tritium transport in ceramic breeder single crystal Raffray, A. René; Cho, Seungyon; Abdou, Mohamed A. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 210, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(94)90232-1	journal	June 1994
Spatial tritium transport in single-crystal lithium aluminate Kopasz, J. P.; Seils, C. A.; Johnson, C. E. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 212-215 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(94)90968-7	journal	September 1994
Defect production by X- and gamma-rays in gamma lithium aluminate Auvray-Gely, M. H.; Dunlop, A. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, Vol. 32, Issue 1-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-583X(88)90173-5	journal	May 1988
Microstructure of ion irradiated ceramic insulators Zinkle, S. J. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, Vol. 91, Issue 1-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-583X(94)96224-3	journal	June 1994
In-situ luminescence measurement of lithium aluminate under ion beam irradiation Asaoka, Yoshiyuki; Moriyama, Hirotake; Iwasaki, Kimihiko Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 191-194 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3115(09)80048-2	journal	September 1992
Depth profiling of tritium near the surface of lithium ceramics by low-energy nuclear reactions Sawicki, J. A. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 141-143 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3115(86)80059-9	journal	November 1986
Lithium diffusion in γ-LiAlO2, a molecular dynamics simulation Jacobs, Jean-Paul; San Miguel, Miguel Angel; Alvarez, Luis Javier Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 232, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3115(96)00435-7	journal	September 1996
Radiation-induced defects in LiAlO2 crystals: Holes trapped by lithium vacancies and their role in thermoluminescence Holston, M. S.; McClory, J. W.; Giles, N. C. Journal of Luminescence, Vol. 160 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlumin.2014.11.018	journal	April 2015
Release behavior of bred tritium from LiAlO2 Nishikawa, M.; Kinjyo, T.; Ishizaka, T. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 335, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2004.07.032	journal	October 2004
Existence states of deuterium irradiated into LiAlO2 Luo, Tianyong; Oda, Takuji; Oya, Yasuhisa Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 372, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2007.01.280	journal	January 2008
Detrapping behavior of tritium trapped via hot atom chemical process in neutron-irradiated ternary lithium oxides Oyaidzu, Makoto; Nishikawa, Yusuke; Suda, Taichi Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 375, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2007.08.020	journal	March 2008
Tritium release from ceramic breeder materials deposited with noble metals Munakata, Kenzo; Mochizuki, Kazuhiro; Wajima, Takaaki Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 417, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.01.079	journal	October 2011
Displacement cascade simulation of LiAlO2 using molecular dynamics Tsuchihira, H.; Oda, T.; Tanaka, S. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 414, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.04.064	journal	July 2011
Effects of threshold displacement energy on defect production by displacement cascades in α, β and γ-LiAlO2 Tsuchihira, H.; Oda, T.; Tanaka, S. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 442, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2013.05.048	journal	November 2013
Irradiation effects and hydrogen behavior in H2+ and He+ implanted γ-LiAlO2 single crystals Jiang, Weilin; Zhang, Jiandong; Kovarik, Libor Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 484 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.03.014	journal	February 2017
Nanostructural evolution and behavior of H and Li in ion-implanted γ-LiAlO2 Jiang, Weilin; Zhang, Jiandong; Edwards, Danny J. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 494 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.07.048	journal	October 2017
Precipitates and voids in cubic silicon carbide implanted with 25Mg+ ions Jiang, Weilin; Spurgeon, Steven R.; Liu, Jia Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 498 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.10.046	journal	January 2018
Chemical imaging and diffusion of hydrogen and lithium in lithium aluminate Jiang, Weilin; Spurgeon, Steven R.; Zhu, Zihua Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 511 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.08.057	journal	December 2018
Deuterium diffusion in γ-LiAlO2 pellets irradiated with He+ and D2+ ions Jiang, Weilin; Wang, Tianyao; Wang, Yining Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 538 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152357	journal	September 2020
A quantitative study of retention and release of deuterium and tritium during irradiation of γ-LiAlO2 pellets Jiang, Weilin; Luscher, Walter G.; Wang, Tianyao Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 542 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152532	journal	December 2020
Dose rate effects on damage accumulation and void growth in self-ion irradiated tungsten Jiang, Weilin; Zhu, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Limin Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 550 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.152905	journal	July 2021
Electron beam-induced oxygen desorption in -LiAlO2 Hetaba, Walid; Mogilatenko, Anna; Neumann, Wolfgang Micron, Vol. 41, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micron.2010.03.004	journal	July 2010
Molecular-dynamics simulation of threshold displacement energies in lithium aluminate Tsuchihira, H.; Oda, T.; Tanaka, S. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, Vol. 269, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2010.11.004	journal	July 2011
In situ controlled modification of the helium density in single helium-filled nanobubbles David, M. -L.; Alix, K.; Pailloux, F. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 115, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4869213	journal	March 2014
Microstructural evolution and precipitation in γ-LiAlO₂ during ion irradiation Jiang, Weilin; Kovarik, Libor; Zhu, Zihua Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 131, Issue 21 https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0089865	journal	June 2022
Enhanced diffusion mechanisms Bourgoin, J. C.; Corbett, J. W. Radiation Effects, Vol. 36, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1080/00337577808240846	journal	January 1978
Recommendations for Tritium Science and Technology Research and Development in Support of the Tritium Readiness Campaign, TTP-7-084 Senor, David J. https://doi.org/10.2172/1113608	report	October 2013

Similar Records

Microstructural evolution and precipitation in γ-LiAlO₂ during ion irradiation

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Journal of Applied Physics · OSTI ID:1884574

Effects of dose rate on the microstructure and deuterium retention in γ-LiAlO₂ pellets

Technical Report · Sun Aug 31 20:00:00 EDT 2025 · OSTI ID:3010913

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
Compositional changes
Lithium aluminate
Microstructural evolution
ion irradiation

Microstructural and compositional evolutions in $$γ$$-LiAlO2 pellets during ion irradiation at an elevated temperature

Citation Formats

References (35)

Similar Records

Related Subjects

Microstructural and compositional evolutions in $$γ$$-LiAlO₂ pellets during ion irradiation at an elevated temperature