Quantitative TEM Investigations on EUROFER 97 Irradiated up to 32 Dpa

Abstract:

The objective of this work is to evaluate the microstructure of the neutron-irradiated reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steel EUROFER 97. For this purpose irradiation induced defects like defect clusters, dislocation loops, voids/bubbles and precipitates are identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and quantified in size and volume density. Emphasis is put on analyzing the influence of the irradiation dose and neutron fluxe on the evolution of size and density of the defects at irradiation temperatures between 300 and 335 °C. A first sample irradiated to a dose of 31.8 dpa was analyzed. The irradiation was carried out in the BOR 60 fast reactor of JSC “SSC RIAR” in Dimitrovgrad, within the framework of the ARBOR-1 irradiation program. To study the dose dependence in a next step the results will be compared to quantitative data on samples irradiated to a dose of 15 dpa. The obtained quantitative data will be used for correlation of the changes in the microstructure to the changes in the mechanical properties and will serve as an input for models describing this correlation.

• Periodical: Advances in Science and Technology (Volume 73)
• Pages: 118-123
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AST.73.118
• Online since: October 2010
• Authors: Oliver J. Weiss, Ermile Gaganidze, Jarir Aktaa
• Keywords: CBED, EUROFER97, Quantification, Radiation Defect, RAFM Steel, TEM

References

[1] C. Petersen, V. Shamardin, A. Fedoseev, G. Shimansky, V. Efimov and J. Rensman: The ARBOR irradiation project, Journal of Nuclear Materials, vol. 307-311 (2002), p.1655.

DOI: 10.1016/s0022-3115(02)01104-2

[2] D. J. H. Cockayne, I. L. F. Ray and M. J. Whelan: Investigations of dislocation strain fields using weak beams, Philosophical Magazine, vol. 20 (1969), p.1265.

DOI: 10.1080/14786436908228210

[3] E. Gaganidze, H. -C. Schneider, C. Petersen, J. Aktaa, A. Povstyanko, V. Prokhorov, R. Lindau, E. Materna-Morris, A. Möslang, E. Diegele, R. Lässer, B. van der Schaaf and E. Lucon: Mechanical Properties of Reduced Activation Ferritic/Martensitic Steels after High Dose Neutron Irradiation, Proc. of 22st IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, 13-18 October 2008 Geneva, Switzerland; Paper FT/P2-1.

DOI: 10.1088/0029-5515/51/8/083012

[4] T. Byun, N. Hashimoto, K. Farrell, and E. Lee: Characteristics of microscopic strain localization in irradiated 316 stainless steels and pure vanadium, Journal of Nuclear Materials, vol. 349 (2006), p.251.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2005.10.011

[5] ImageJ, http: /rsbweb. nih. gov/ij.

[6] P. M. Kelly, A. Jostsons, R. G. Blake, and J. G. Napier: The determination of foil thickness by scanning transmission electron microscopy, Physica Status Solidi (a), vol. 31 (1975), p.771.

DOI: 10.1002/pssa.2210310251

[7] S. M. Allen: Foil thickness measurements from convergent-beam diffraction patterns, Philosophical Magazine A, vol. 43 (1981), p.325.

DOI: 10.1080/01418618108239412

[8] V. Hou: Thickness by CBED, Digital Micrograph(tm) Script Database, http: /www. felmi-zfe. tugraz. at/dm_scripts.

[9] M. Klimenkov, E. Materna-Morris, A. Möslang: Characterization of radiation induced defects in EUROFER after neutron irradiation, Submitted to the Journal of Nuclear Materials, Proceedings of the ICFRM-14, Sapporo (2009).

DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2010.12.261

[10] R. Schäublin, M. Victoria, G. Lucas, L. Snead, M. Kirk Jr. and R. Elliman (ed. ): Identification of Defects In Ferritic/Martensitic Steels Induced by Low Dose Irradiation, Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, vol. 650 (2001).

DOI: 10.1557/proc-650-r1.8