Irradiation creep associated with dislocation climb

Abstract It is believed that creep in materials containing a dispersed second phase may be controlled by the climb of edge dislocations around the second phase. The above model is proposed to be applicable to neutron irradiated materials containing Seeger zones. It is assumed that edge dislocations are pinned by the zones and can escape by (1) climbing out of the zones by absorption of neutron produced point defects, (2) the dissolution of the zones by absorption of neutron produced interstitials, (3) the dissolution of the zones by vacancy emission from the zones and (4) thermally activated cutting of the zones by the dislocations. The above four mechanisms are incorporated into a set of equations similar to those originally proposed by Seeger for hardening in neutron irradiated copper. The effects of temperature, neutron flux, fluence, and applied stress are considered.