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  • Effects of helium on irradi...
    Kim, B.K.; Tan, L.; Sakasegawa, H.; Parish, C.M.; Zhong, W.; Tanigawa, H.; Katoh, Y.

    Journal of nuclear materials, March 2021, 2021-03-00, 20210301, 2021-03-01, Letnik: 545, Številka: n/a
    Journal Article

    Understanding the effects of helium on microstructures and mechanical properties of reduced-activation ferritic-martensitic steels is important to use of these steels in fusion reactor structures. The 9Cr-2WVTa steels were doped with 58Ni and 60Ni isotopes at 2 weight percent to control the rate of transmutation helium generation. The samples were irradiated in the High Flux Isotope Reactor to ~24 displacements per atom at nominal temperatures of 300, 400, and 500°C, producing 228 and 7 atomic parts-per-million helium in the 58Ni- and 60Ni-doped samples, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a variety of precipitates and the radiation-induced dislocation loops and cavities (voids or helium bubbles). Tensile tests of the irradiated samples at the irradiation temperatures showed radiation-induced hardening at 300°C and radiation-induced softening at 400°C. Analysis indicates that the hardening primarily originated from the loops and cavities. The 58Ni-doped samples had greater strengthening contributions from loops and cavities, leading to higher hardening with lower ductility than the 60Ni-doped samples. The greater helium production of 58Ni did not show pronounced reductions in ductility of the samples.