Atom Probe Tomography of Structural Materials for Nuclear Reactors
EMSL Project ID
49136
Abstract
A major challenge facing the design of advanced nuclear power systems lies in finding appropriate materials that demonstrate the needed material properties as well as radiation and high temperature resistance. To develop an understanding of material performance under neutron irradiation requires detailed knowledge of the evolution of the materials microstructure both before and after irradiation. The damage processes occur at the nanoscale and require characterization techniques that can probe down to the atomic level to capture the chemical changes induced by exposure to the operating environment of nuclear reactors.Atom probe tomography (APT) provides three-dimensional analysis of materials on the scale of nm, and in some cases atomic plane resolution is achievable. Analysis of composition as well as spatial location of second phases, grain boundary segregation, and nanoclusters is possible using APT, contributing unique insight into microstructural changes under irradiation. The proposal requests the use of the Local Electrode Atom Probe (LEAP) 4000X HR to analyze irradiated metallic alloys and silicon carbide that have been neutron irradiated. The proposed work will also include time on the Quanta 3D FIB located in the EMSL Radiological Annex to prepare samples from irradiated materials.
Project Details
Start Date
2015-10-22
End Date
2016-09-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members