Papers by Author: Yi Chu Wu

Abstract: Pure MgO, ZrO₂ and mixture MgO/ZrO₂ nanocrystals were annealed in air from 100 to 1200°C. Variation of the microstructure and defects was investigated by positron lifetime spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The experiment results showed that the average positron lifetime of mixture MgO/ZrO₂ was more larger than that of single phase MgO and ZrO₂, and decreased with the increasing annealing temperature. Thermal annealing below 600°C, the movement of grain boundaries mainly led a reduce of the number of microvoids, and vacancy defects began to recover due to the growth of MgO nanoparticles after annealing between 600 to 900°C. Furthermore, ZrO₂ nanoparticles began to grow above 900°C, meanwhile the recovery of vacancy and vacancy clusters in MgO/ZrO₂ nanoparticles are restrained because of synergic effect between MgO and ZrO₂ nanoparticles.

Abstract: The oxidized Mo-50Re alloys in air at 573 K and 873 K for various times were investigated by X-Ray diffraction and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. The results indicated that main orthogonal phase MoO₃ together with small amount of monoclinic phase Mo₈O₂₃ were formed on on the surface of the specimens, and the oxide film of specimens oxidized at 873 K were much thicker than that of specimens oxidized at 573 K. Meanwhile, when Mo-50Re specimens oxidized in air at 873K, the defect’s size within interface layer of the specimens was larger, and the oxide film on the surface of the specimens contained much more defects. Faster oxidation process were observed occured at 873K, which was likely due to the formation of larger-size interfacial defects.

Abstract: Nanosized Cu-enriched clusters formed in Cu-containing reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels during service have a deleterious effect on mechanical properties, which can result in RPV embrittlement and limit reactor operation life. To understand the effect of Cu-enriched clusters (CECs) behavior on mechanical properties, thermal aging at 370°C for times up to 13200 h was performed on the high-copper ferritic steels. The microstructure evolution of CECs was investigated by positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results show that the CECs formed after aging times up to 3000 h, which composition is composed of Fe, Cu, Ni, Mn, and Si, are 9R structures. The CECs lead to precipitation hardening/embrittlement effects. The changes of hardness have a linear relationship with transition temperature shifts.

Abstract: Hydrogen-induced defects of ZnO single crystals electrochemically charged with hydrogen have been investigated by positron beam-based Doppler broadening spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical microscopy (OM). XRD and OM results indicated that a deformation layer was formed due to hydrogen-induced structural change at the subsurface of ZnO single crystal. Slow positron beam measurements showed that this deformation layer contained many defects, such as dislocations and Zn vacancies, which led to increase of S parameter.

Abstract: Hydrogen- and corrosion -related defects of pure iron and AISI 304 and 316 stainless steels were investigated by measuring Doppler broadening energy spectra of positron annihilation. The significant increase in S-parameter after corrosion in iron was interpreted as due to the formation of defects and voids during corrosion processes. However, a decrease of the S-parameter in AISI 304 and 316 stainless steels after corrosion was interpreted as dissolution of passivity oxide film. Furthermore, similar results in iron and stainless steels after hydrogen-charging were observed. Hydrogen damage between the surface and the bulk has a significant variation with depth. The larger increase in S-parameter near the surface after hydrogen-charging mainly comes from the formation of large-size defects (e.g. voids); however the increase in S-parameter in the bulk after hydrogen-charging mainly comes from the production of small-size defects.