Radiation Damage Behaviour of a Zirconium Alloy Used in Nuclear Industry

Zirconium alloys used in the nuclear reactors experience high-energy neutron irradiation during service leading to alteration of the microstructure. Effect of irradiation on the microstructure in Zr alloys includes creation of point defects and their evolution resulting in formation of dislocation loops. Alteration of microstructure results in degradation of mechanical properties and dimensional changes in Zr alloys. Ion irradiation is traditionally being used as surrogate of neutron irradiation for simulation of radiation damage in structural materials in a shorter time scale. Samples of Zircaloy were irradiated with high-energy proton beam. Microstructures of the irradiated samples were characterized to determine the density of point defects and dislocations. Fraction of dislocation densities related to - and -type loops were determined from X-ray line profile analysis. Mechanical properties of the irradiated samples were determined using tensile tests and nanoindentation. Tensile properties were correlated with the dislocation densities of the irradiated samples.

Automated summary

This article investigates the microstructural changes and mechanical property degradation of zirconium alloys used in nuclear reactors during high-energy neutron irradiation, and simulates the radiation damage using ion irradiation. The density of point defects and dislocations in the irradiated samples were characterized, and their relationship with the mechanical properties was determined.