Deformation structure in highly irradiated stainless steels

Surface steps and deformation microstructure in cold-worked SUS316 stainless steels irradiated to 4 and 35 dpa (displacements per atom) were examined after being deformed by uniaxial tensile stress at 320degC at a show or fast strain rate. Dislocation channeling was the predominant mode of deformation near the surface at the slow strain rate. Twinning was dominant at the fast strain rate whereas twinning and nanotwin formation occurred in the locally stressed area at the slow strain rate. Deformation heterogeneity measured using the spacing of coarse surface steps induced by dislocation channels increased with increasing dose from 4 to 35 dpa. Grain boundary separation occurred when dislocation pileups and high normal stress on the grain boundary plane coexisted, which likely was a precursor of intergranular cracking without any environmental factor. (author)