Nanocluster Evolution in D9 Austenitic Steel under Neutron and Proton Irradiation

Mullurkara, Suraj Venkateshwaran; Bejawada, Akshara; Sen, Amrita; Sun, Cheng; Bachhav, Mukesh; Wharry, Janelle P.

doi:10.3390/ma16134852

Nanocluster Evolution in D9 Austenitic Steel under Neutron and Proton Irradiation

Journal Article · Thu Jul 06 00:00:00 EDT 2023 · Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16134852· OSTI ID:2470401

^[1]; Bejawada, Akshara ^[2]; Sen, Amrita ^[3]; ^[4]; Bachhav, Mukesh ^[4]; ^[5]

Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Indian Inst. of Technology (IIT), Madras (India); Univ. of Pittsburgh, PA (United States)
Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Indian Inst. of Technology (IIT), Madras (India)
Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); Intel Corporation, Hillsboro, OR (United STates)
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)

Austenitic stainless steel D9 is a candidate for Generation IV nuclear reactor structural materials due to its enhanced irradiation tolerance and high-temperature creep strength compared to conventional 300-series stainless steels. But, like other austenitic steels, D9 is susceptible to irradiation-induced clustering of Ni and Si, the mechanism for which is not well understood. This study utilizes atom probe tomography (APT) to characterize the chemistry and morphology of Ni–Si nanoclusters in D9 following neutron or proton irradiation to doses ranging from 5–9 displacements per atom (dpa) and temperatures ranging from 430–683 °C. Nanoclusters form only after neutron irradiation and exhibit classical coarsening with increasing dose and temperature. The nanoclusters have Ni₃Si stoichiometry in a Ni core–Si shell structure. This core–shell structure provides insight into a potentially unique nucleation and growth mechanism—nanocluster cores may nucleate through local, spinodal-like compositional fluctuations in Ni, with subsequent growth driven by rapid Si diffusion. This study underscores how APT can shed light on an unusual irradiation-induced nanocluster nucleation mechanism active in the ubiquitous class of austenitic stainless steels.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517

OSTI ID:: 2470401

Journal Information:: Materials, Journal Name: Materials Journal Issue: 13 Vol. 16; ISSN 1996-1944

Publisher:: MDPICopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
Atom probe tomography
Austenitic stainless steel
Chemistry
Materials Science
Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering
Nanoclusters
Neutron irradiation
Physics
Proton irradiation

Nanocluster Evolution in D9 Austenitic Steel under Neutron and Proton Irradiation

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