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Synchrotron radiation investigations of microstructural evolutions of ODS steels and Zr-based alloys irradiated in nuclear reactors

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Abstract

Synchrotron-based x-ray techniques are used to bring complementary information to local probes such as atom probe tomography and transmission electron microscopy. Two examples of nuclear materials used for the cladding of fuel assembly are given: oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys and M5™ Zr-based alloys. In both cases, synchrotron radiation analyses bring original results concerning nanosized secondary phases: for M5™, radiation-enhanced precipitation of β-Nb precipitates has been evidence and the crystallographic structure (lattice parameter and Nb content) is reported for the first time and for irradiated ODS, the dissolution of larger oxides is evidenced while a finer distribution of complex Y–Ti–O oxides still acts as obstacles for dislocations.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank AREVA NP and EdF for the financial support concerning the zirconium-based alloy study. We acknowledge SOLEIL for provision of synchrotron radiation facilities. We are also grateful to the staff of CEA/SEMI for the preparation of thin foils on radioactive materials, and S. Doriot and I. Monnet for the TEM observations on Zr and ODS alloys, respectively. The units in charge of radioactive material transportation and handling at CEA Saclay, CEA/SEMI, and the safety staff of SOLEIL are also gratefully thanked for their essential help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEA, DEN, Service de Recherches Métallurgiques Appliquées, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

    Denis Menut & Jean-Luc Béchade

  2. Division Expériences, Ligne MARS, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint Aubin, Synchrotron SOLEIL, BP48, 91192, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France

    Sebastiano Cammelli, Sandrine Schlutig, Bruno Sitaud & Pier Lorenzo Solari

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  1. Denis Menut
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  2. Jean-Luc Béchade
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Correspondence to Denis Menut.

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Menut, D., Béchade, JL., Cammelli, S. et al. Synchrotron radiation investigations of microstructural evolutions of ODS steels and Zr-based alloys irradiated in nuclear reactors. Journal of Materials Research 30, 1392–1402 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1557/jmr.2015.74

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