Low dose irradiation creep of pure nickel. [17 or 15 MeV deuterons

Abstract

A detailed climb-controlled glide model of low dose irradiation creep has been developed to rationalize irradiation creep data of pure nickel irradiated in a light ion irradiation creep apparatus. Experimental irradiation creep data were obtained to study the effects of initial microstructure and stress on low dose irradiation creep in pure nickel. Pure nickel specimens (99.992% Ni), with three different microstructures, were irradiated with 17 or 15 MeV deuterons at 473 K and stresses ranging from 0.35 to 0.9 of the unirradiated yield stress. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the microstructure following irradiation to 0.05 dpa consisted of a high density of small dislocation loops, some small voids and network dislocations. The creep model predicted creep rates proportional to the mobile dislocation density and a comparison of experimental irradiation creep rates as a function of homologous stress revealed a dependence on initial microstructure of the magnitude predicted by the measured dislocation densities. The three microstructures that were irradiated consisted of 85% and 25% cold-worked Ni specimens and well-annealed Ni specimens. A weak stress dependence of irradiation creep was observed in 85% cold-worked Ni in agreement with experimental determinations of the stress dependence of irradiation creep by others. The weak stress dependence was shown to be a consequence of the stress independence of the dislocation climb velocity and the weak stress dependence of the barrier removal process. The irradiation creep rate was observed to be proportional to the applied stress. This linear stress dependence was suggested to be due to the stress dependence of the mobile dislocation density. 101 references, 27 figures, 11 tables.