The irradiation of an 18R martensite with 2MeV protons was studied. It was found that the enhanced diffusion which was caused by irradiation led to stabilization of the martensite. This behavior was similar to that which had previously been reported for electron irradiation. The stabilization kinetics were studied as a function of the displacement rate, and it was found that the time which was required in order to obtain a given degree of stabilization depended upon the displacement rate; raised to the power of -0.6. A comparison with electron irradiation data suggested an efficiency of about 0.26 for the production of freely migrating defects by 2MeV proton irradiation as opposed to 2.6MeV electron irradiation. The kinetics of stabilization under proton and electron irradiation could be described by a simple model that was based upon rate equations.

A.Tolley, M.P.Macht, M.Müller, C.Abromeit, H.Wollenberger: Philosophical Magazine A, 1995, 72[6], 1633-47