Helium-bubble-enhanced disordering of intermetallic phase under irradiation

Understanding and controlling phase transformations in metals and alloys under irradiation is vital to the design of irradiation-tolerant materials. The L1(2)-ordered intermetallic phase in nickel-based superalloys provides superior high-temperature mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Here, we studied the order-disorder transformation kinetics of an L1(2)-structured gamma-prime phase in nickel-based superalloy Rene N4 under krypton ion irradiation and the effect of pre-implanted helium gas bubbles on the kinetics of phase transformation. The presence of pre-implanted helium gas bubbles significantly enhances the order-disorder transformation of L1(2)-structured gamma-prime phase under irradiation at 300 degrees C. The evolution of pre-implanted helium gas bubbles under irradiation implies that helium gas bubbles could effectively trap irradiation-induced vacancies and impede the reordering process of anti-site defects in gamma-prime phase.

Automated summary

This study focused on the order-disorder transformation kinetics of the L1(2)-structured γ-Π phase in nickel-based superalloys under irradiation, revealing that pre-implanted helium gas bubbles significantly enhance the phase transformation process, effectively trapping irradiation-induced vacancies.