Abstract
Abstract Microstructural development near surfaces and grain boundaries in zirconium was investigated using a rate theory method that includes the effects of diffusional anisotropy. It was found that the diffusional anisotropy of the irradiation-generated point defects has a very significant effect on the microsctructure near the surfaces and grain boundaries. Instead of the usual interstitial loop-growth enhancement near surfaces found in cubic metals, which is independent of the crystallographic orientation of the surface, the situation is very different in hexagonal metals. Depending on the surface orientation, zones denuded of either interstitial loops or vacancy loops may exist. Basal loops are found to be almost entirely vacancy in nature and grow very fast. The model's predictions generally agree with experimental observations.
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