The B-poor solid was irradiated with thermal neutrons in an experimental reactor. By using a nuclear microprobe, the Li atoms which were produced by the 10B(n,α)7Li reaction were tracked and were compared with the calculated and measured 7Li profiles in irradiated samples. This showed that the Li atoms did not diffuse during irradiation at 323K. A comparison of non-annealed and annealed irradiated plates clearly showed that Li atoms did not migrate out of the samples; even at 1273K. These results, when correlated with transmission electron microscopic observations suggested that Li atoms were trapped by dislocation loops which were created by displacement cascades during neutron irradiation.

Nuclear Microprobe Analysis of 7Li Profile Induced in HfB2 by Neutron Irradiation. D.Simeone, X.Deschanels, D.Gosset, J.P.Bonal, E.Berthoumieux: Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2001, 297[3], 244-50