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Dislocation substructure in zirconium alloys irradiated in EBR-II

Conference · · Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5709797

We report the dislocation microstructures of annealed Zircaloy-2, cold-worked Zr-2.5 wt % Nb and extruded Excel (Zr-3.5 wt % Sn-0.8 wt % Nb-0.8 wt % Mo) neutron irradiated in EBR-II at 670 to 690 K to fluences of 1.7 to 6.3 x 10/sup 25/ n/m/sup 2/ (E > 1 MeV) and also of cold-worked Zr-2.5 wt % Nb irradiated to 1.2 x 10/sup 25/ n/m/sup 2/ (E > 1 MeV) at 550 K in Unit 4 of Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. The irradiation damage produced in zirconium alloys by fast neutron irradiation in EBR-II at 657 to 675 K consists of type dislocation loops and, in annealed Zircaloy, component dislocations. Both type and component dislocations survive fast neutron irradiation to relatively high fluences (5.5 x 10/sup 25/ n/m/sup 2/ at 657 K). Cold-worked Zr-2.5 wt % Nb irradiated in Pickering-4 to 1.2 x 10/sup 25/ n/m/sup 2/ at 550 K contains fine type loops and residual component dislocations from cold-work. All zirconium alloys exhibiting high (non-saturating) irradiation growth rates contain type dislocations and type loops. The presence of component dislocations is also inferred. This suggests a modified model of irradiation growth in which vacancies segregate to component dislocations or faulted loops and interstitials to type loops.

Research Organization:
Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River, Ontario
OSTI ID:
5709797
Report Number(s):
CONF-820628-
Journal Information:
Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Soc. Test. Mater., Spec. Tech. Publ.; (United States) Vol. 782; ISSN ASTTA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English