Microstructural features and mechanical properties of 18 MeV He+ ions irradiated pure Zr

Abstract

Samples of pure zirconium (Zr) were irradiated by 18 MeV helium (He+) ions in the dose range 0.00162-0.0324 dpa at 373 K by using Cyclotron accelerator. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) results indicated an increase in average surface roughness of Zr by increasing the irradiation dose. The AFM images revealed nucleation and growth of nano- and micro-size hillocks at lower doses (0.00162-0.00324 dpa), whereas formation of a volcano-like cavities and craters was observed within these hillocks by increasing the radiation dose from 0.00324 to 0.0324 dpa. The high-resolution X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed a variation in the intensities and positions of the diffraction peaks after the irradiation. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results reported a significant decrease in the grain size after the He+ irradiation. The values of grain size, calculated using the TEM, were found to be in good agreement with the crystallite size calculated using the XRD analysis. The yield stress (YS) was increased by increasing the irradiation dose up to 0.0162 dpa, however, the YS exhibited a decreasing trend with a further increase of the dose. The changes in YS were elucidated by grain size reduction and localized heating at higher doses.