MX precipitate behavior in an irradiated advanced Fe-9Cr steel: Helium effects on phase stability

Green, T. M. Kelsy; Gräning, Tim Seibert; Zhong, Weicheng; Yang, Ying; Field, Kevin G.

doi:10.1016/j.actamat.2025.121202

MX precipitate behavior in an irradiated advanced Fe-9Cr steel: Helium effects on phase stability

Journal Article · Wed Jun 11 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Acta Materialia

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2025.121202· OSTI ID:2584523

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University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

As part of an ongoing series aimed at optimizing Fe-9Cr reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) alloys for fusion energy systems, this study explores MX precipitate behavior under dual-ion irradiations, specifically examining correlations between helium transmutation and irradiation-induced damage. Utilizing single and dual-beam ion irradiation, the research explores the combined effects of helium (10–25 appm He/dpa), temperature (400–600 °C), and damage levels (15–100 dpa) on the microstructural evolution of CNA9 steel, a variant of Castable Nanostructured Alloys (CNAs). The study demonstrates that helium co-implantation hinders radiation-enhanced coarsening of MX-TiC precipitates at 500 and 600 °C, maintaining MX-TiC precipitate stability at moderate damage levels (15 dpa) but failing to prevent complete precipitate dissolution at higher damage levels (≥50 dpa) when irradiated at 500 °C. Here, a generalized precipitate stability model suggests that helium-induced suppression of diffusion alters the balance between recoil resolution and back diffusion for MX-TiC precipitates, enhancing the current understanding of precipitate behavior under damage and transmutation simulated dual-ion irradiation conditions.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

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

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 2584523

Journal Information:: Acta Materialia, Journal Name: Acta Materialia Vol. 296; ISSN 1359-6454

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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