TY - JOUR
T1 - Evolution of Zr(Fe,Cr)2 second phase particles in Zircaloy-2 under heavy ion irradiation
AU - Lynch, Kieran
AU - Koç, Ömer
AU - Greaves, Graeme
AU - Carruthers, Alexander
AU - Maric, Mia
AU - Preuss, Michael
AU - Cole-Baker, Aidan
AU - Frankel, Philipp
AU - Robson, Joseph
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was funded by the EPSRC through the MIDAS (Mechanistic understanding of Irradiation Damage in fuel Assemblies) programme grant (EP/S01702X/1), with industrial contributions from Jacobs. The authors would also like to acknowledge the UKNIBC (EP/X015491/1) for facilitating access to the MIAMI-2 system, the EPSRC for supporting the acquisition of the Talos TEM at The University of Manchester (EP/S021531/1), and The Henry Royce Institute. Joseph Robson is grateful to DSTL and the Royal Academy of Engineering for funding through the DSTL/RAEng Chair in Alloys for Extreme Environments RC-SRF2021124.
Funding Information:
This work was funded by the EPSRC through the MIDAS (Mechanistic understanding of Irradiation Damage in fuel Assemblies) programme grant (EP/S01702X/1), with industrial contributions from Jacobs. The authors would also like to acknowledge the UKNIBC (EP/X015491/1) for facilitating access to the MIAMI-2 system, the EPSRC for supporting the acquisition of the Talos TEM at The University of Manchester (EP/S021531/1), and The Henry Royce Institute. Joseph Robson is is grateful to DSTL and the Royal Academy of Engineering for funding through the DSTL/RAEng Chair in Alloys for Extreme Environments RC-SRF2021124.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s)
PY - 2024/8/1
Y1 - 2024/8/1
N2 - The Zr(Fe,Cr) 2 second phase particles (SPPs) found in Zircaloy-2 and -4 are known to amorphize and dissolve under irradiation. In the present work, their evolution has been studied in situ in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) under 600 keV Ar 2+ irradiation at 320 °C, taking samples to two different doses of 13 and 24 dpa. Using scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDX), the samples were thoroughly characterised before and after irradiation, allowing subtle changes in precipitate chemistry to be detected. At both doses the SPPs were fully amorphous, with an accompanying release of Fe to the surrounding matrix. The Fe/Cr ratio was seen to decrease in the SPP core and increase at the interface with the matrix, a result of ballistic mixing across the interface coupled with outward diffusion of Fe. No alignment of dislocation loops or segregation of solute to defects in the matrix was observed, although Fe was found to diffuse further along the c-axis direction compared to the a-axis direction.
AB - The Zr(Fe,Cr) 2 second phase particles (SPPs) found in Zircaloy-2 and -4 are known to amorphize and dissolve under irradiation. In the present work, their evolution has been studied in situ in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) under 600 keV Ar 2+ irradiation at 320 °C, taking samples to two different doses of 13 and 24 dpa. Using scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDX), the samples were thoroughly characterised before and after irradiation, allowing subtle changes in precipitate chemistry to be detected. At both doses the SPPs were fully amorphous, with an accompanying release of Fe to the surrounding matrix. The Fe/Cr ratio was seen to decrease in the SPP core and increase at the interface with the matrix, a result of ballistic mixing across the interface coupled with outward diffusion of Fe. No alignment of dislocation loops or segregation of solute to defects in the matrix was observed, although Fe was found to diffuse further along the c-axis direction compared to the a-axis direction.
KW - second phase particles
KW - ion irradiation
KW - Zircaloy-2
KW - Zirconium
KW - amorphization
KW - dissolution
KW - in situ
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85190828623&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155081
DO - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155081
M3 - Article
VL - 596
JO - Journal of Nuclear Materials
JF - Journal of Nuclear Materials
SN - 0022-3115
M1 - 155081
ER -