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Application of STEM characterization for investigating radiation effects in BCC Fe-based alloys

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Abstract

This paper provides an overview of advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) techniques used for characterization of irradiated BCC Fe-based alloys. Advanced STEM methods provide the high-resolution imaging and chemical analysis necessary to understand the irradiation response of BCC Fe-based alloys. The use of STEM with energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for measurement of radiation-induced segregation (RIS) is described, with an illustrated example of RIS in proton- and self-ion irradiated T91. Aberration-corrected STEM-EDX for nanocluster/nanoparticle imaging and chemical analysis is also discussed, and examples are provided from ion-irradiated oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys. Finally, STEM techniques for void, cavity, and dislocation loop imaging are described, with examples from various BCC Fe-based alloys.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This research was sponsored by: the Materials Sciences and Engineering Division, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, U.S. Department of Energy (CMP); the U.S. DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy, Advanced Fuel Campaign of the Fuel Cycle R&D program (KGF); US DOE, Office of Nuclear Energy Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP), awards 10-172 (KGF/AGC) and 10-678 (JPW); US DOE, Nuclear Energy Research Initiative, award 08-055 (JPW); and US DOE, Office of Nuclear Energy under DOE Idaho Operations Office Contract DE-AC07-05ID14517, as part of ATR National Scientific User Facility experiment 13-419 (JPW). Part of the microscopy research was conducted as part of a user project supported by ORNL’s Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS), which is an Office of Science User Facility. APT, FIB, and Pt-ion irradiations were conducted using EMSL, a national scientific user facility sponsored by the Department of Energy’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research and located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Neutron irradiations on Fe–Cr–Al alloys were carried out in the HFIR, a user facility funded by Department of Energy’s Basic Energy Sciences.

CMP acknowledges the use of the Analytical Instrumentation Facility (AIF) at North Carolina State University, which is supported by the State of North Carolina and the National Science Foundation (NCSU Titan G2 S/TEM). CMP thanks Dr. D.T. Hoelzer of ORNL for providing the samples of the extruded 14YWT nanostructured ferritic alloy, Prof. A. Hallén of the Royal Institute of Technology, Kista, Sweden for performing the helium ion implantation, Prof. J.M. LeBeau, Dr. Xiahan Sang and Dr. Yi Liu, NCSU, for assistance with the NCSU Titan, and Dr. Y. Zhang, ORNL, for Pt-irradiated sample. KGF thanks Y. Yamamoto of ORNL for providing Fe–Cr–Al samples for irradiation and would like to thank the Irradiated Materials Examination and Testing (IMET) facility and Low Activation Materials Development and Analysis (LAMDA) laboratory staff for their continuing support of the research enclosed. JPW acknowledges Dr. G.S. Was, Dr. O. Toader, and Dr. F. Naab at the University of Michigan for their assistance with proton and Fe++ ion irradiations and for providing T91 and Fe-9Cr ODS specimens. JPW acknowledges the use of the Microscopy and Characterization Suite (MaCS) at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES), with the assistance of M. Swenson (Boise State) and oversight of Dr. Y. Wu (Boise State).

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  1. Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37831, USA

    Chad M. Parish & Kevin G. Field

  2. Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Boise State University, Boise, ID, 83725, USA

    Janelle P. Wharry

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  1. Chad M. Parish
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  2. Kevin G. Field
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Correspondence to Janelle P. Wharry.

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b)Previously at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, USA

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Parish, C.M., Field, K.G., Certain, A.G. et al. Application of STEM characterization for investigating radiation effects in BCC Fe-based alloys. Journal of Materials Research 30, 1275–1289 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2015.32

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