Abstract
Noble gases are generated within solids in nuclear environments and coalesce to form gas stabilized voids or cavities. Ion implantation has become a prevalent technique for probing how gas accumulation affects microstructural and mechanical properties. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) allows measurement of cavity density, size, and spatial distributions post-implantation. While post-implantation microstructural information is valuable for determining the physical origins of mechanical property degradation in these materials, dynamic microstructural changes can only be determined by in situ experimentation techniques. We present in situ TEM experiments performed on Pd, a model face-centered cubic metal that reveals real-time cavity evolution dynamics. Observations of cavity nucleation and evolution under extreme environments are discussed.
Highlights
Materials designed for nuclear reactor environments must perform under extreme environmental conditions, including radiation damage, elevated temperature, and mechanical stress
We demonstrate the utility of in situ Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) ion implantation and annealing experiments for providing in situ time-dependent data on gas stabilized cavity evolution and growth in extreme environments and suggest how those data can motivate and aid validation of models that provide a mechanistic explanation for macroscopic physical phenomena.[30]
This work used in situ TEM to quantify cavity nucleation and growth as a function of implantation time and temperature, and qualitatively characterized cavity growth mechanisms during isochronal annealing
Summary
Materials designed for nuclear reactor environments must perform under extreme environmental conditions, including radiation damage, elevated temperature, and mechanical stress. Especially He, Xe, and Kr, are generated through nuclear reactions and are insoluble in most materials. These elements often coalesce to form gas-stabilized cavities inside metals and ceramics subject to radiation damage. Gas-stabilized cavities significantly degrade the mechanical properties of materials, so their behavior must be well characterized to accurately predict material performance.[1,2,3,4,5] Experimentally, ion implantation has become a prevalent technique for probing gas accumulation effects on mechanical properties and for correlating microstructural and mechanical effects.[6,7,8,9,10] Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is ideal for quantifying radiation-induced cavity density, size, and spatial distribution because of the nanometer length scale of these features.[11,12,13,14,15]
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