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Title: Amorphous intergranular films mitigate radiation damage in nanocrystalline Cu-Zr

Abstract

Nanocrystalline metals are promising radiation tolerant materials due to their large interfacial volume fraction, but irradiation-induced grain growth can eventually degrade any improvement in radiation tolerance. Therefore, methods to limit grain growth and simultaneously improve the radiation tolerance of nanocrystalline metals are needed. Amorphous intergranular films are unique grain boundary structures that are predicted to have improved sink efficiencies due to their increased thickness and amorphous structure, while also improving grain size stability. Here, ball milled nanocrystalline Cu-Zr alloys are heat treated to either have only ordered grain boundaries or to contain amorphous intergranular films distributed within the grain boundary network, and are then subjected to in situ transmission electron microscopy irradiation and ex situ irradiation. Differences in defect density and grain growth due to grain boundary complexion type are then investigated. When amorphous intergranular films are incorporated within the material, fewer and smaller defect clusters are observed while grain growth is also limited, leading to nanocrystalline alloys with improved radiation tolerance.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [3];  [3];  [2]
  1. Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering; Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Material, Physical, and Chemical Sciences
  2. Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering
  3. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Material, Physical, and Chemical Sciences
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS)
OSTI Identifier:
1650164
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1592200
Report Number(s):
SAND-2020-8398J
Journal ID: ISSN 1359-6454; 689921
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000; SC0014232; NA-0003525
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Acta Materialia
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 186; Journal ID: ISSN 1359-6454
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; complexion; ion irradiation; grain boundary segregation; grain growth; amorphous intergranular films

Citation Formats

Schuler, Jennifer D., Grigorian, Charlette M., Barr, Christopher M., Boyce, Brad L., Hattar, Khalid, and Rupert, Timothy J. Amorphous intergranular films mitigate radiation damage in nanocrystalline Cu-Zr. United States: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.1016/j.actamat.2019.12.048.
Schuler, Jennifer D., Grigorian, Charlette M., Barr, Christopher M., Boyce, Brad L., Hattar, Khalid, & Rupert, Timothy J. Amorphous intergranular films mitigate radiation damage in nanocrystalline Cu-Zr. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2019.12.048
Schuler, Jennifer D., Grigorian, Charlette M., Barr, Christopher M., Boyce, Brad L., Hattar, Khalid, and Rupert, Timothy J. Sat . "Amorphous intergranular films mitigate radiation damage in nanocrystalline Cu-Zr". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2019.12.048. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1650164.
@article{osti_1650164,
title = {Amorphous intergranular films mitigate radiation damage in nanocrystalline Cu-Zr},
author = {Schuler, Jennifer D. and Grigorian, Charlette M. and Barr, Christopher M. and Boyce, Brad L. and Hattar, Khalid and Rupert, Timothy J.},
abstractNote = {Nanocrystalline metals are promising radiation tolerant materials due to their large interfacial volume fraction, but irradiation-induced grain growth can eventually degrade any improvement in radiation tolerance. Therefore, methods to limit grain growth and simultaneously improve the radiation tolerance of nanocrystalline metals are needed. Amorphous intergranular films are unique grain boundary structures that are predicted to have improved sink efficiencies due to their increased thickness and amorphous structure, while also improving grain size stability. Here, ball milled nanocrystalline Cu-Zr alloys are heat treated to either have only ordered grain boundaries or to contain amorphous intergranular films distributed within the grain boundary network, and are then subjected to in situ transmission electron microscopy irradiation and ex situ irradiation. Differences in defect density and grain growth due to grain boundary complexion type are then investigated. When amorphous intergranular films are incorporated within the material, fewer and smaller defect clusters are observed while grain growth is also limited, leading to nanocrystalline alloys with improved radiation tolerance.},
doi = {10.1016/j.actamat.2019.12.048},
journal = {Acta Materialia},
number = ,
volume = 186,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 11 00:00:00 EST 2020},
month = {Sat Jan 11 00:00:00 EST 2020}
}

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Cited by: 14 works
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