Precipitation and cavity formation in austenitic stainless steels during irradiation

Microstructural evolution in austenitic stainless steels subjected to displacement damage at high temperature is strongly influenced by the interactions between helium atoms and second phase particles. Cavity nucleation occurs by the trapping of helium at partially coherent particle-matrix interfaces. The recent precipitate point defect collector theory describes the more rapid growth of precipitate-attached cavities compared to matrix cavities where the precipitate-matrix interface collects point defects to augment the normal point deflect flux to the cavitry. Data are presented which support these ideas. It is shown that during nickel ion irradiation of a titanium-modified stainless steel at 6750C the rate of injection of helium has a strong effect on the total swelling and also on the nature and distribution of precipitate phases