Comparison of hardening and microstructures of ferritic/martensitic steels irradiated with fast neutrons and dual ions

Zhu, Pengcheng; Lin, Yan-Ru; Agarwal, Shradha; Pauly, Valentin; Taller, Stephen; Zinkle, Steven J.

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155211

Comparison of hardening and microstructures of ferritic/martensitic steels irradiated with fast neutrons and dual ions

Journal Article · Wed Jun 05 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155211· OSTI ID:2376335

^[1]; ^[2]; Agarwal, Shradha ^[3]; ^[4]; ^[5]; ^[6]

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Ferritic/martensitic steels T91 and HT9 were irradiated with neutrons (BOR-60 reactor) and dual ions (9 MeV Fe³⁺ and 3.42 MeV energy degraded He²⁺) from 369 to 520 °C and damage levels of 16.6 to 72 dpa to quantify the possibility of using ion irradiation to simulate neutron irradiation in terms of microstructures and mechanical properties. Nanoindentation testing was performed to obtain the bulk equivalent hardness of the dual-ion irradiated samples. For the neutron irradiated samples, both nanoindentation and Vickers hardness testing were conducted. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) characterizations of the cavities, dislocation loops and precipitates were conducted to account for the strengthening contribution of each microstructure element. The good agreement between the microstructure-predicted (dispersed barrier hardening) and measured strength of the irradiated specimens demonstrated the accuracy of the strengthening model and the nanoindentation tests. Furthermore, the comparison of mechanical property and microstructure changes in ion and neutron irradiated structural materials indicated that ion irradiation replicated many neutron irradiation features. However, a single 70 °C temperature shift is insufficient to match all complex microstructures of neutron vs. ion irradiation over the irradiation temperature range of 369–520 °C.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; NE0000639

OSTI ID:: 2376335

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2371773
OSTI ID: 2406655

Journal Information:: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Vol. 599; ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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