Helium/Hydrogen Effects on the Properties of Materials for the APT Target/Blanket Region

Abstract

Materials irradiated in the target/blanket region of the Accelerator Production of Tritium (APT) system will contain significantly more hydrogen and helium, for any given displacements per atom (dpa), than typically found in materials irradiated in a fission reactor. The individual effects of helium and hydrogen implantation and displacement damage on structural materials are relatively well established. Helium will increase the strength, decrease the ductility, reduce the creep and stress rupture properties, decrease the fatigue life and weldability, and promote swelling. Hydrogen will also adversely effect the mechanical properties and promote premature fracture along metallurgical interfaces. Displacement damage generally increases the strength and decreases the ductility of single-phase metals and alloys. The adverse effects of hydrogen and helium implantation may couple with displacement damage to limit component lifetime in the target/blanket region of the APT system. This paper provides a technical basis to rationalize potential synergistic effects among displacement damage and the hydrogen and helium embrittlement processes and suggests that such synergistic effects may be of significant importance to component performance in intense spallation neutron sources.