| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T21: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Advanced Characterization of Materials for Nuclear, Radiation, and Extreme Environments
|
| Presentation Title |
Correlated Scattering and Microscopy Techniques for In-situ and Ex-situ Rapid Clustering Determination in Activated Materials |
| Author(s) |
Kevin Field, Samuel A. Briggs, Caleb P. Massey, Dalong Zhang, Kenneth Littrell |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Kevin Field |
| Abstract Scope |
Materials exposed to extreme environments such as nuclear reactor operating conditions can undergo significant materials evolution with nano-scale clustering of solutes being a critical response. This evolution ultimately leads to gross changes in engineering properties, and thus must be characterized. Unique to nuclear reactor exposure is that samples will become activated, presenting a human-safety risk and unique instrument challenges. Here, we will present and discuss the multi-year development of a correlated scattering and microscopy approach capable of both ex-situ and in-situ post-irradiation annealing that uses specialized methods to handle highly activated samples without loss in data collection and analysis fidelity. The approach will be discussed using Cr-rich/O-rich clustering in ferritic matrices exposed to irradiation conditions common in nuclear power reactors. It will be shown that the correlated characterization pathway provides a rapid method to develop a robust understanding of clustering in these materials placed in extreme environments. |