New insights into radiation hardening in face-centered cubic alloys

In face-centered cubic (fcc) metals, defects with dislocation character are the main component of the radiation microstructure. Despite the large number of reported interaction mechanisms, a significant ratio of interactions results in defect absorption, leading to the forming of superjogs and helical turns. Since absorption is controlled by elastic relaxation, dislocation dynamics simulations are used to determine the corresponding hardening. In agreement with experiments, simulation results reveal a strong hardening level, independent of the alloy friction or the dislocation velocity. (C) 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.