| Abstract Scope |
Because of its cost, speed, and convenience for post-irradiation examination, ion irradiation is a common technique for evaluation of irradiation effects in nuclear materials. However, ion irradiations require very careful planning and detailed knowledge of potential artifacts. Specifically, in void swelling studies, near the surface and at the end of the irradiation-affected zone, void formation is suppressed due to the surface sink and implanted ions. This work examined irradiation of pure Cr with 15MeV Ni5+ ions to midrange damage of 1, 8, and 22 dpa. Void swelling was shown to saturate at less than 3%. An artificial peak in void diameter was observed adjacent to the void-denuded zone, ~500nm from the surface and true swelling was not observed until a depth of >1µm, emphasizing the need for high energy ions in irradiation studies. Funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy, Advanced Fuel Campaign. |