Influence of neutron irradiation on dislocation structure and phase composition of Zr-base alloys

Studied were evolution of dislocation structure, phase, and element composition of binary alloys Zr-1Nb and Zr-2.5Nb and multicomponent alloys Zr-1Nb-1.2Sn-0.4Fe and Zr-1.25n-0.4Fe under neutron irradiation. The investigations were carried out using cladding and pressure tubes before and after irradiation to a fluence of ∼1026 n/m2 (E ≥ 0.1 MeV) in experimental and commercial reactors at 300 to 350 C using TEM, EDX, and XRD. In most cases, irradiation-induced defects are in the form of dislocation loops with Burgers vector 1/3 <11 bar 20>. The density of dislocations with a component is less than 2 x 1014 m-2. A higher fluence or the presence of strain results in the ordering of the dislocation structure of component and -type dislocation loops. Before irradiation, the multicomponent alloys contain fine precipitates of Zr-Nb-Fe composition, and the matrix is depleted in Fe. Under irradiation, recrystallization proceeds intensely (as distinct from Zr-Nb alloys), changes take place in size, distribution, and composition of precipitates (with a relative decrease of Fe content compared to Nb), and the Fe content of α-Zr matrix is increased. None of the materials studied showed any significant evidence of secondary phase particle amorphization. The density of dislocations with and components and irradiation-induced defects, their mean size, the extent of ordering, and the planes of their occurrence were determined. A comparison was made between irradiation-induced evolutions of microstructures of the different alloys