Electron irradiation experiments in support of fusion materials development
Abstract
Microstructural evolution in response to 1 MeV electron irradiation has been investigated for three simple ferritic alloys, pure beryllium, pure vanadium, and two simple vanadium alloys over a range of temperatures and doses. Microstructural evolution in Fe3Cr, Fe9Cr and Fe18Cr ferritic alloys is found to consists of crenulated, faulted α<100> loops and circular, unfaulted 12α<111> loops at low temperatures, but with only unfaulted loops of both types at high temperatures. The complex dislocation evolution is attributed to sigma phase precipifaults arising from chromium segregation to point defect sinks. Beryllium is found to be resistant to electron damage: the only effect observed was enhanced dislocation mobility. Pure vanadium, V5Fe, and V1Ni microstructural response was complicated by precipitation on heating to 400°C and above, but dislocation evolution was investigated in the range of room temperature to 300°C and at 600°C. The three materials behaved similarly, except that pure vanadium showed more rapid dislocation evolution. This difference does not explain the enhanced swelling observed in vanadium alloys.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Nuclear Materials
- Pub Date:
- September 1992
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0022-3115(92)90692-E
- Bibcode:
- 1992JNuM..191.1336G