In-situ S/TEM investigations of deformation and damage mechanisms in neutron-irradiated EUROFER97
In this work, we employed in-situ S/TEM techniques to investigate deformation and damage mechanisms in neutron-irradiated reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) EUROFER97 steel subjected to a dose of 15 dpa at 330 °C. The irradiated microstructure revealed uniformly distributed dislocation l...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2025-12-01
|
| Series: | Philosophical Magazine Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/09500839.2025.2512307 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | In this work, we employed in-situ S/TEM techniques to investigate deformation and damage mechanisms in neutron-irradiated reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) EUROFER97 steel subjected to a dose of 15 dpa at 330 °C. The irradiated microstructure revealed uniformly distributed dislocation loops and sporadic nanometer-sized cavities. During in-situ straining of a focused-ion beam (FIB)-prepared lamella, mobile line dislocations were observed to interact with dislocation loops, leading to loop absorption and the formation of dislocation networks. Further straining resulted in the formation of a dislocation-loop-free zone. Within this region, deformation-induced nanometer-sized cavities emerged, likely from pre-existing irradiation-induced clusters, cavities, or remnants of absorbed loops. Coalescence of these cavities led to the formation of micro-cracks and ultimately to the fracture of the lamella. This suggests premature failure of the irradiated sample compared to its unirradiated counterpart, highlighting irradiation-induced embrittlement. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0950-0839 1362-3036 |