Achieving exceptional radiation tolerance with crystalline-amorphous nanocrystalline structures

Jin, Miaomiao; Cao, Penghui; Short, Michael P.

doi:10.1016/j.actamat.2019.12.058

Title: Achieving exceptional radiation tolerance with crystalline-amorphous nanocrystalline structures

Journal Article · 14 January 2020 · Acta Materialia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2019.12.058 · OSTI ID:1801226

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Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); OSTI
Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

Nanostructured materials with amorphous intergranular films (AIFs) have demonstrated superior strength and ductility. Their radiation tolerance is expected to be high as the large fraction of interfacial volume efficiently sinks radiation-induced defects. Here we demonstrate how a crystalline-amorphous system (nanocrystalline Cu with Zr-doped AIFs) responds to continuous irradiation with molecular dynamics simulations. We propose a diffusion model that well characterizes the cascade-driven mixing process, and reveal that the spread of Zr distribution scales linearly with the damage level. The exceptional radiation resistance is attributed to the interfaces acting as sustainable defect sinks, Zr mixing into the bulk to enhance local defect annihilation due to solute-interstitial dragging, and Zr impeding radiation-enhanced grain growth by restraining AIFs from migration and maintaining interface stiffness. These findings suggest that AIF-engineered systems hold promise as highly radiation-tolerant materials with strong structural stability and self-healing capability under radiation damage.

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Research Organization:: Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Texas A & M Engineering Experiment Station

Sponsoring Organization:: National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE; USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: NE0008450

OSTI ID:: 1801226

Journal Information:: Acta Materialia, Journal Name: Acta Materialia Journal Issue: C Vol. 186; ISSN 1359-6454

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
amorphous intergranular film
materials science
metallurgy & metallurgical engineering
molecular dynamics
nanocrystalline
radiation damage

Title: Achieving exceptional radiation tolerance with crystalline-amorphous nanocrystalline structures

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