Development of damage structure in 16Cr-4Al ODS steels during electron-irradiation

Development of irradiation damage structure in ODS ferritic steels was studied by means of in-situ observation of HVEM up to 10 dpa at 773 K. In this study, standard ODS steel, Fe-16Cr-4A1-2W-0.35Y(2)O(3) and other of steels including Zr or Hf were examined. During electron-irradiation, preferential nucleation of dislocation loops was observed on oxide particles. In Hf- or Zr-added steels dislocation loops showed a low growth rate and a low number density compared with the standard steel. These results are explained by the sink effect at the interface between the matrix and oxide particles. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.