The effect of alloying elements on the defect structural evolution in neutron irradiated Ni alloys

The effect of alloying elements, Si (−5.8%: the volume size factor in Ni), Ge (+14.76%) and Sn (+74.08%), on void swelling in neutron irradiated Ni at 573 K was studied by transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation and positron annihilation lifetime measurement. Neutron irradiation dose was changed widely from 0.001 to 0.4 dpa using two reactors, the Kyoto University reactor (KUR) and the Japan materials testing reactor (JMTR). Voids were observed in pure Ni by TEM even after very small irradiation dose of 0.001 dpa. With increasing dose, the density of voids did not change much while their size increased. The same tendency was observed in Ni–2at.%Ge. In Ni–2at.%Sn and Ni–2at.%Si, however, no voids were observed by TEM at a damage dose of 0.4 dpa. But positron lifetime measurement revealed the existence of microvoids at a medium dose of irradiation. When irradiation dose increased to 0.4 dpa in Ni–2at.%Si and 0.13 dpa in Ni–2at.%Sn, their existence was not detected. Suppression of microvoids in these alloys is discussed from the standpoint of solute point defect interactions.