Fast Reactors and Accelerator Driven Systems Knowledge Base

Conference Article: Neutron irradiation effects in fusion or spallation structural materials: Some recent insights related to neutron spectra

Abstract

A review is presented of recent insights on the role of transmutation in the development of radiation-induced changes in dimension or radiation-induced changes in physical or mechanical properties. It is shown that, in some materials and some neutron spectra, transmutation can significantly affect or even dominate a given property change process. When the process under study is also sensitive to displacement rate, and especially if it involves radiation-induced segregation and precipitation, it becomes much more difficult to separate the transmutation and displacement rate dependencies. This complicates the application of data derived from 'surrogate' spectra to predictions in other flux-spectra environments. It is also shown in this paper that one must be sensitive to the impact of previously -ignored 'small' variations in neutron spectra within a given reactor. In some materials these small variations have major consequences.

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Reference:

Influence of high dose irradiation on core structural and fuel materials in advanced reactors. Technical committee meeting, Obninsk (Russian Federation), 16-19 Jun 1997

International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

IAEA-TECDOC--1039, pp:15-36