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Effect of helium ion irradiation on pure W, W-5Ta and W-5Re: a micro-tensile and nanoindentation investigation of mechanical properties

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Abstract

Micro-tensile testing has been used to study the response of pure tungsten and two tungsten alloys to helium ion irradiation. Commercially supplied plates of W, W-5Ta and W-5Re were irradiated using 6 MeV helium ions at room temperature. The ion energy was attenuated with an energy spreading device such that a uniform level of damage at 0.6 dpa (and 11,000 appm He) was deposited at the 3–9 µm depth. Focused ion beam milling was used to fabricate dog-bone shaped, micro-tensile samples 5 × 5 µm in cross-sectional area and 17 µm in length from the unirradiated and irradiated samples. All micro-tensile samples were tested at a quasi-static strain rate and the stress–strain curves were analysed to determine the mechanical properties. A close correlation was found between micro-tensile results and the bulk mechanical properties reported in the literature. Comparison between the unirradiated micro-tensile properties of W-5Re and W-5Ta with W showed that, as expected, W-5Re was softer than W whilst W-5Ta had only minor differences in micro-tensile properties compared with W. The micro-tensile results of the irradiated W, W-5Ta and W-5Re showed an increase in strength and an almost complete loss of ductility compared to the unirradiated samples. In comparing micro-tensile results to nanoindentation measurements, it was found that micro-tensile offers comparable level of precision in measurement of irradiation hardening amongst W, W-5Ta and W-5Re. The implications of the results with respect to the future performance of tungsten-based materials in the divertors in fusion reactors are discussed in detail.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to Nuclear Fuel Cycle (NFC), Nuclear Materials Development and Characterization group (NMDC) and Colin Hobman from the Maintenance Workshop at ANSTO for their advice and help on sample preparation related issues. Sincere thanks are also due to Dr. Robert Wheeler of MicroTesting Solutions LLC ®, OH, for many fruitful discussions and suggestions.

Funding

This project was funded by internal research funding from the Nuclear Fuel Cycle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, New Illawarra Road, Lucas Heights, NS W, 2234, Australia

    Alan Xu, Tao Wei, Ken Short, Tim Palmer, Mihail Ionescu & Dhriti Bhattacharyya

  2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    Alan Xu & Dhriti Bhattacharyya

  3. Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PH, UK

    George D. W. Smith & David E. J. Armstrong

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  1. Alan Xu
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Contributions

AX designed the experiments and performed the annealing, micro-mechanical testing, nanoindentation and EBSD analysis and subsequent data analysis. AX also drafted the original paper. TW and MI helped with ion irradiation and scientific discussions. TP grinded and polished the tungsten samples. KS assisted with nanoindentation. DA provided materials and scientific discussions. DB and GS reviewed and edited the original manuscript.

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Correspondence to Alan Xu.

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Handling Editor: Catalin Croitoru.

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Xu, A., Wei, T., Short, K. et al. Effect of helium ion irradiation on pure W, W-5Ta and W-5Re: a micro-tensile and nanoindentation investigation of mechanical properties. J Mater Sci 58, 10501–10515 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-023-08647-5

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