Abstract
The effect of fission fragment irradiation on the passive oxidation of a silicon-bonded silicon carbide by oxygen has been examined at 950°C. The fission fragment flux ranged between 6.3 – 12.2 × 10 10 ff/cm 2 · s, and the exposure period varied up to 4768 h. The extent of oxidation was increased slightly by the fission recoil bombardment. The enhancement was more significant during the initial exposure (⩽ 500 h), when it was increased by a factor of between 2.5 – 3.5. Subsequently, the factor became progressively decreased to 1.6 – 1.9 after 4768 h. Comparison between the extents of oxidation of the silicon carbide and free silicon constituents suggest that it was the oxidation of free silicon which was increased, particularly over the initial exposure period. Thereafter, silica film growth on both components was enhanced to comparable extents. The most probable mechanism for the continuing radiation induced attack was that the silica film properties controlling oxidation were influenced by chemical contamination, with fission products and uranium oxide, ejected from the sources with the emerging fission fragments.
Published Version
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