Advanced structural materials for nuclear energy
1. Additive manufactured alloys for nuclear energy
Heavy ion irradiation on additively manufactured alloys
This is a comparison irradiation study on cold worked (CW) and AM 316 LN SS to ~220 dpa. AM 316 LN shows an enhanced irradiation resistance in terms of a lower loop density and a small loop size. The loop nature was identified as either vacancy or interstitial type using inside-outside contrast technique. Element segregations along cellular walls were investigated for the first time. The experimental results were compared with previous neutron radiation data considering an accelerated irradiation dose rate.
2. Radiation responses of gradient nanostructured alloys
Radiation damages in gradient materials
Heterogenously structured materials often exhibit improved mechanical properties compared with their homogenous counterparts. For the first time, a gradient T91 steel bar was fabricated and implanted with helium ions. The radiation tolerance was improved by the gradient microstructure in terms of helium bubble induced swelling and irradiation hardening. More interestingly, helium bubble precipitation was found to be grain boundary misorientation angle dependent.
