The factors which control the nucleation and growth of voids in austenitic steels during electron irradiation

Three points are made, firstly electron irradiation has positive advantages for the study of void swelling phenomena, as well as being an adequate simulation of void swelling rates during neutron irradiation. Secondly, the swelling rate is a unique function of the void density and does not depend on how that density is produced, provided the composition of the matrix is unchanged. Hence physical factors such as the temperature, gas content, cold working etc. are important only because they affect the void density. Thirdly, a change in the initial chemical composition of the matrix results in a new relationship between the swelling rate and the void density. (author)