| Abstract Scope |
Nuclear reactors are one of the most hostile environments for materials, and fuel cladding is the material most affected by high radiation damage, elevated temperature, and possible corrosion. Radiation can cause several defects leading to radiation hardening (and thus embrittlement); moreover, helium produced by alpha decay can accumulate in the form of bubbles, compromising mechanical properties and causing blistering. Metallic crystalline interfaces may significantly reduce the detrimental effect of both radiation damage and light gases (He, H) bubble formation.
We prepared Zr/Nb nanolayered coatings with various layer thicknesses and investigated their mechanical properties both experimentally and using atomistic simulations. During indentation, Zr underwent phase transformation from HCP to BCC, as predicted by simulations. Then, the nanolayers were implanted by a variety of atoms (H, He, C, Si, heavy metals) to study the interface's ability to heal radiation damage and accommodate helium. |