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Title: High-dose, intermediate-temperature neutron irradiation effects on silicon carbide composites with varied fiber/matrix interfaces

Abstract

SiC/SiC composites are promising structural candidate materials for various nuclear applications over the wide temperature range of 300–1000 °C. Accordingly, irradiation tolerance over this wide temperature range needs to be understood to ensure the performance of these composites. In this study, neutron irradiation effects on dimensional stability and mechanical properties to high doses (11–44 dpa) at intermediate irradiation temperatures (˜600 °C) were evaluated for Hi-Nicalon Type-S or Tyranno-SA3 fiber–reinforced SiC matrix composites produced by chemical vapor infiltration. The influence of various fiber/matrix interfaces, such as a 50–120 nm thick pyrolytic carbon (PyC) monolayer interphase and 70–130 nm thick PyC with a subsequent PyC (˜20 nm)/SiC (˜100 nm) multilayer, was evaluated and compared with the previous results for a thin-layer PyC (˜20 nm)/SiC (˜100 nm) multilayer interphase. Four-point flexural tests were conducted to evaluate post-irradiation strength, and SEM and TEM were used to investigate microstructure. Regardless of the fiber type, monolayer composites showed considerable reduction of flexural properties after irradiation to 11–12 dpa at 450–500 °C; and neither type showed the deterioration identified at the same dose level at higher temperatures (>750 °C) in a previous study. After further irradiation to 44 dpa at 590–640 °C, the degradation was enhanced comparedmore » with conventional multilayer composites with a PyC thickness of ˜20 nm. Multilayer composites have shown comparatively good strength retention for irradiation to ˜40 dpa, with moderate mechanical property degradation beginning at 70–100 dpa. As a result, irradiation-induced debonding at the F/M interface was found to be the major cause of deterioration of various composites.« less

Authors:
 [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2];  [1]
  1. National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology (QST), Aomori (Japan)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1504005
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of the European Ceramic Society
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 39; Journal Issue: 8; Journal ID: ISSN 0955-2219
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; Silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix composites; Neutron irradiation; Intermediate temperature; Fiber/matrix interface; Flexural properties

Citation Formats

Nozawa, Takashi, Koyanagi, Takaaki, Katoh, Yutai, and Tanigawa, Hiroyasu. High-dose, intermediate-temperature neutron irradiation effects on silicon carbide composites with varied fiber/matrix interfaces. United States: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2019.03.014.
Nozawa, Takashi, Koyanagi, Takaaki, Katoh, Yutai, & Tanigawa, Hiroyasu. High-dose, intermediate-temperature neutron irradiation effects on silicon carbide composites with varied fiber/matrix interfaces. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2019.03.014
Nozawa, Takashi, Koyanagi, Takaaki, Katoh, Yutai, and Tanigawa, Hiroyasu. Thu . "High-dose, intermediate-temperature neutron irradiation effects on silicon carbide composites with varied fiber/matrix interfaces". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2019.03.014. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1504005.
@article{osti_1504005,
title = {High-dose, intermediate-temperature neutron irradiation effects on silicon carbide composites with varied fiber/matrix interfaces},
author = {Nozawa, Takashi and Koyanagi, Takaaki and Katoh, Yutai and Tanigawa, Hiroyasu},
abstractNote = {SiC/SiC composites are promising structural candidate materials for various nuclear applications over the wide temperature range of 300–1000 °C. Accordingly, irradiation tolerance over this wide temperature range needs to be understood to ensure the performance of these composites. In this study, neutron irradiation effects on dimensional stability and mechanical properties to high doses (11–44 dpa) at intermediate irradiation temperatures (˜600 °C) were evaluated for Hi-Nicalon Type-S or Tyranno-SA3 fiber–reinforced SiC matrix composites produced by chemical vapor infiltration. The influence of various fiber/matrix interfaces, such as a 50–120 nm thick pyrolytic carbon (PyC) monolayer interphase and 70–130 nm thick PyC with a subsequent PyC (˜20 nm)/SiC (˜100 nm) multilayer, was evaluated and compared with the previous results for a thin-layer PyC (˜20 nm)/SiC (˜100 nm) multilayer interphase. Four-point flexural tests were conducted to evaluate post-irradiation strength, and SEM and TEM were used to investigate microstructure. Regardless of the fiber type, monolayer composites showed considerable reduction of flexural properties after irradiation to 11–12 dpa at 450–500 °C; and neither type showed the deterioration identified at the same dose level at higher temperatures (>750 °C) in a previous study. After further irradiation to 44 dpa at 590–640 °C, the degradation was enhanced compared with conventional multilayer composites with a PyC thickness of ˜20 nm. Multilayer composites have shown comparatively good strength retention for irradiation to ˜40 dpa, with moderate mechanical property degradation beginning at 70–100 dpa. As a result, irradiation-induced debonding at the F/M interface was found to be the major cause of deterioration of various composites.},
doi = {10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2019.03.014},
journal = {Journal of the European Ceramic Society},
number = 8,
volume = 39,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Mar 07 00:00:00 EST 2019},
month = {Thu Mar 07 00:00:00 EST 2019}
}

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