Abstract
This work is the third and final part in an initial series on addressing the behavior of MX precipitate stability in an advanced Fe-9Cr reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) alloy under fusion-relevant ion irradiation conditions. Here, the helium trapping properties of MX precipitates are investigated across varying damage levels (15–100 dpa), temperatures (400–600 °C), and helium doses (10–25 appm He/dpa) using sophisticated dual ion beam experiments and electron microscopy. Results indicate that individual MX precipitates efficiently sequester helium in the form of nanoscale bubbles at the precipitate-matrix interfaces near the peak swelling temperature (∼5 bubbles/precipitate at 500 °C). Swelling was primarily due to matrix cavities. The Fe-9Cr alloy reached 2% swelling by 100 dpa, suggesting a shift to steady-state swelling around 50 dpa at 500 °C. However, MX precipitate dissolution beginning at 15 dpa did not coincide with this onset of steady-state swelling.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 155727 |
| Journal | Journal of Nuclear Materials |
| Volume | 609 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2025 |
Funding
The experimental work presented here was funded by the Fusion Energy Sciences program (DOE-FOA-0002173). The authors also acknowledge the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor College of Engineering for financial support and the Michigan Center for Materials Characterization for use of the instruments and staff assistance. Research presented here was also partially supported by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development program of Los Alamos National Laboratory under project number XXPV. This research was partly sponsored by US Department of Energy, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences under contract DE-AC05–00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC. Notice: This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05–00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan (https://www.energy.gov/doe-public-access-plan). The experimental work presented here was funded by the Fusion Energy Sciences program ( DOE-FOA-0002173 ). The authors also acknowledge the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor College of Engineering for financial support and the Michigan Center for Materials Characterization for use of the instruments and staff assistance. Research presented here was also partially supported by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development program of Los Alamos National Laboratory under project number XXPV. This research was partly sponsored by US Department of Energy, Office of Fusion Energy Sciences under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC. Notice: This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan ( https://www.energy.gov/doe-public-access-plan ).
Keywords
- Dual ion irradiation
- Helium
- MX precipitates
- Phase stability
- Steel
- Swelling