Design of radiation resistant metallic multilayers for advanced nuclear systems

Helium implantation from transmutation reactions is a major cause of embrittlement and dimensional instability of structural components in nuclear energy systems. Development of novel materials with improved radiation resistance, which is of the utmost importance for progress in nuclear energy, requ...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied physics letters 2014-06, Vol.104 (24)
Main Authors: Zhernenkov, Mikhail, Gill, Simerjeet, Stanic, Vesna, DiMasi, Elaine, Kisslinger, Kim, Baldwin, J. Kevin, Misra, Amit, Demkowicz, M. J., Ecker, Lynne
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied physics
Copper
defects
Dimensional changes
Helium
Implantation
materials and chemistry by design
MATERIALS SCIENCE
mechanical behavior
Multilayers
Niobium
nuclear (including radiation effects)
Nuclear energy
Nuclear engineering
Nuclear reactions
Nuclear reactors
Radiation effects
Radiation tolerance
Reflectance
Structural stability
Swelling
Synchrotron radiation
synthesis (novel materials)
synthesis (scalable processing)
Transmission electron microscopy
Transmutation
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Summary:Helium implantation from transmutation reactions is a major cause of embrittlement and dimensional instability of structural components in nuclear energy systems. Development of novel materials with improved radiation resistance, which is of the utmost importance for progress in nuclear energy, requires guidelines to arrive at favorable parameters more efficiently. Here, we present a methodology that can be used for the design of radiation tolerant materials. We used synchrotron X-ray reflectivity to nondestructively study radiation effects at buried interfaces and measure swelling induced by He implantation in Cu/Nb multilayers. The results, supported by transmission electron microscopy, show a direct correlation between reduced swelling in nanoscale multilayers and increased interface area per unit volume, consistent with helium storage in Cu/Nb interfaces in forms that minimize dimensional changes. In addition, for Cu/Nb layers, a linear relationship is demonstrated between the measured depth-dependent swelling and implanted He density from simulations, making the reflectivity technique a powerful tool for heuristic material design.
ISSN:0003-6951
1077-3118
DOI:10.1063/1.4883481