NSUF 23-1891: In Situ Mechanical Testing of Irradiated Zr Single Crystals
Our effort is currently focused on the use of zirconium to due to its hcp crystal structure and the anisotropic growth and creep behavior that it exhibits when irradiated. This project will initially use single crystal zirconium samples to gather deformation behavior via nano-indentation testing to validate plasticity models being developed within MOOSE and Bison at INL. Anisotropic plastic behavior will be determined using expanding cavity models [1]. This data will then be compared with the micro-pillar compression for the assessment of such mesoscale mechanical testing methods. It is known that at higher temperatures, radiation damage in zirconium evolves to produce an excess of vacancy loops as interstitials annihilate on edge dislocation networks that run parallel to the direction. This results in the net growth in the direction as well as hardening mechanisms due to biased vacancy populations [2-4]. However, the expected growth of zirconium is predicated on it being unconstrained by outside forces. If there is a constraint on the growth/creep as imposed by another crystallite, then the drive to grow in the direction will be hampered and the contraction in the direction will be similarly limited. In this project, we will collect baseline mechanical property data from the ion-irradiated single crystal zirconium to predict the plastic behavior at different orientations. This data will serve as a base for the development of constrained crystal cases and design of further ion-irradiation experiments. 1. Gao, X.L., X.N. Jing, and G. Subhash, Two new expanding cavity models for indentation deformations of elastic strain-hardening materials. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 2006. 43(7): p. 2193-2208. 2. Griffiths, M., A review of microstructure evolution in zirconium alloys during irradiation. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 1988. 159: p. 190-218. 3. Northwood, D.O., et al., Characterization of neutron irradiation damage in zirconium alloys — an international “round-robin” experiment. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 1979. 79(2): p. 379-394. 4. Samolyuk, G.D., et al., Analysis of the anisotropy of point defect diffusion in hcp Zr. Acta Materialia, 2014. 78: p. 173-180.
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Our effort is currently focused on the use of zirconium to due to its hcp crystal structure and the anisotropic growth and creep behavior that it exhibits when irradiated. This project will initially use single crystal zirconium samples to gather deformation behavior via nano-indentation testing to validate plasticity models being developed within MOOSE and Bison at INL. Anisotropic plastic behavior will be determined using expanding cavity models [1]. This data will then be compared with the micro-pillar compression for the assessment of such mesoscale mechanical testing methods. It is known that at higher temperatures, radiation damage in zirconium evolves to produce an excess of vacancy loops as interstitials annihilate on edge dislocation networks that run parallel to the <c> direction. This results in the net growth in the <a> direction as well as hardening mechanisms due to biased vacancy populations [2-4]. However, the expected growth of zirconium is predicated on it being unconstrained by outside forces. If there is a constraint on the growth/creep as imposed by another crystallite, then the drive to grow in the <a> direction will be hampered and the contraction in the <c> direction will be similarly limited. In this project, we will collect baseline mechanical property data from the ion-irradiated single crystal zirconium to predict the plastic behavior at different orientations. This data will serve as a base for the development of constrained crystal cases and design of further ion-irradiation experiments. 1. Gao, X.L., X.N. Jing, and G. Subhash, Two new expanding cavity models for indentation deformations of elastic strain-hardening materials. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 2006. 43(7): p. 2193-2208. 2. Griffiths, M., A review of microstructure evolution in zirconium alloys during irradiation. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 1988. 159: p. 190-218. 3. Northwood, D.O., et al., Characterization of neutron irradiation damage in zirconium alloys — an international “round-robin” experiment. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 1979. 79(2): p. 379-394. 4. Samolyuk, G.D., et al., Analysis of the anisotropy of point defect diffusion in hcp Zr. Acta Materialia, 2014. 78: p. 173-180. |
| Award Announced Date | 2023-02-08T10:47:56.383 |
| Awarded Institution | None |
| Facility | None |
| Facility Tech Lead | Alina Zackrone, Michael Starr |
| Irradiation Facility | SNL Ion Beam Laboratory |
| PI | Geoffrey Beausoleil |
| PI Email | [email protected] |
| Project Type | RTE |
| RTE Number | 4581 |