Influence of injected helium on the phase instability of ion-irradiated stainless steel

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6813668

Kenik, E A; Lee, E H

The influence of helium injection on phase instability under ion irradiation was studied for two modified 316 stainless steel alloys. Helium is required to nucleate voids in both alloys, though both exhibit phase instability without helium. The injected helium promotes associated growth of voids with precipitates. At low simultaneous helium injection rates 0 to 4 appm He/1 dpa), little or no effect on the precipitation process occurs. As the injection rate increases to 20 appm He/dpa, an increase in precipitate density and a decrease in precipitate size is observed. This result is in contrast to the observation that cold preinjected helium strongly suppresses the phase instability and swelling. The influence of helium on the phase instability is interpreted in terms of its effect on loop nucleation, which in turn influences the subsequent evolution of the damage microstructure.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6813668
• Report Number(s): CONF-801072-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360102 -- Metals & Alloys-- Structure & Phase Studies
360106* -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
ALLOYS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
CHROMIUM STEELS
CHROMIUM-NICKEL STEELS
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
HEAT RESISTANT MATERIALS
HEAT RESISTING ALLOYS
HELIUM
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MATERIALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
NICKEL ALLOYS
NONMETALS
PHASE STABILITY
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RARE GASES
STABILITY
STAINLESS STEEL-316
STAINLESS STEELS
STEELS
VOIDS