Synchrotron radiation investigations of microstructural evolutions of ODS steels and Zr-based alloys irradiated in nuclear reactors

Synchrotron-based x-ray techniques are used to bring complementary information to local probes such as atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy. Two examples of nuclear materials used for the cladding of fuel assembly are given: oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys and M5 (TM) Zr-based alloys. In both cases, synchrotron radiation analyses bring original results concerning nanosized secondary phases: for M5 (TM), radiation-enhanced precipitation of beta-Nb precipitates has been evidence and the crystallographic structure (lattice parameter and Nb content) is reported for the first time and for irradiated ODS, the dissolution of larger oxides is evidenced while a finer distribution of complex Y-Ti-O oxides still acts as obstacles for dislocations.