Radiation-induced nonhomogeneous state of materials

The attempt is made to explain radiation-induced structural changes, identified in a large group of metallic materials (Fe-Ni, Fe-Cr-Ni, Ni-Cr, Cu-Ni, Fe-Cr, V-Ti-Cr alloys, Zr and Ti). The following changes in the structure; heterophase formation in the previously single-phase and equilibrium material and availability of small clusters in the structure are characteristic for these materials by irradiation in the narrow interval of parameters (dose, temperature, intensity). Essential change in microhardness, temperature dependence of the thermoelectromotive force and their nonmonotonous dependence on the irradiation parameters is noted. The results of the computer modeling of the crystalline lattice local rearrangement make it possible to assume, that the structural changes observed are caused by formation of atomic groups(clusters) with the symmetry, differing from the matrix symmetry