Abstract
Structures of nanoparticles in Fe-16Cr-4.5Al-0.3Ti-2W-0.37Y2O3 (K3) and Fe-20Cr-4.5Al-0.34Ti-0.5Y2O3 (MA956) oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic steels produced by mechanical alloying (MA) and followed by hot extrusion have been studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) techniques to gain insight about the formation mechanism of nanoparticles in MA/ODS steels. The observations of Y-Al-O complex-oxide nanoparticles in both ODS steels imply that decomposition of Y2O3 in association with internal oxidation of Al occurred during mechanical alloying. While the majority of oxide nanoparticles formed in both steels is Y4Al2O9, a few oxide particles of YAlO3 are also occasionally observed. These results reveal that Ti (0.3 wt %) plays an insignificant role in forming oxide nanoparticles in the presence of Al (4.5 wt %). HRTEM observations of crystalline nanoparticles larger than {approx}2 nm and amorphous or disordered cluster domains smaller than {approx}2 nm provide an insight into the formation mechanism of oxide nanoparticle in MA/ODS steels, which we believe from our observations involves a solid-state amorphous precursor followed by recrystallization. Dual ion-beam irradiations using He{sup +} + Fe{sup +8} ions were employed to gain more detailed insight about the role of nanoparticles in suppressing radiation-induced swelling. This is elaborated through TEM examinations of cavity distributions in ion-irradiated Fe-14Cr and K3-ODS ferritic steels. HRTEM observations of helium-filled cavities (helium bubbles) preferably trapped at nanoscale oxide particles and clusters in ion-irradiated K3-ODS are presented. Finally, we describe the results from triple ion-beam irradiations using H{sup +} + He{sup +} + Fe{sup +8} ions to emulate fusion first wall radiation effects. Preliminary work is reported that confirms the existence of significant hydrogen synergistic effects described earlier by Tanaka et al., for Fe(Cr) and by Wakai et al., for F82H reduced activation ferritic martensitic (RAF/M) steel. These previous results combined with our data suggest a complex new 'catalytic' mechanism whereby H interacts with the steady state population of defects and the embryonic cavities so as to accelerated cavity (void) growth in both Fe(Cr) and under special conditions in ODS steels.
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