On the onset of void swelling in pure tungsten under neutron irradiation: An object kinetic Monte Carlo approach

TY - JOUR

T1 - On the onset of void swelling in pure tungsten under neutron irradiation: An object kinetic Monte Carlo approach

AU - Castin, Nicolas

AU - Bakaev, Alexander

AU - Bonny, Giovanni

AU - Malerba, Lorenzo

AU - Terentyev, Dmitry

N1 - score=10

PY - 2017/6/17

Y1 - 2017/6/17

N2 - We propose an object kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) model for describing the microstructural evolution in pure tungsten under neutron irradiation. We here focus on low doses (under 1 dpa), and we neglect transmutation in first approximation. The emphasis is mainly centred on an adequate description of neutron irradiation, the subsequent introduction of primary defects, and their thermal diffusion properties. Besides grain boundaries and the dislocation network, our model includes the contribution of carbon impurities, which are shown to have a strong influence on the onset of void swelling. Our parametric study analyses the quality of our model in detail, and confronts its predictions with experimental microstructural observations with satisfactory agreement. We highlight the importance for an accurate determination of the dissolved carbon content in the tungsten matrix, and we advocate for an accurate description of atomic collision cascades, in light of the sensitivity of our results with respect to correlated recombination.

AB - We propose an object kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) model for describing the microstructural evolution in pure tungsten under neutron irradiation. We here focus on low doses (under 1 dpa), and we neglect transmutation in first approximation. The emphasis is mainly centred on an adequate description of neutron irradiation, the subsequent introduction of primary defects, and their thermal diffusion properties. Besides grain boundaries and the dislocation network, our model includes the contribution of carbon impurities, which are shown to have a strong influence on the onset of void swelling. Our parametric study analyses the quality of our model in detail, and confronts its predictions with experimental microstructural observations with satisfactory agreement. We highlight the importance for an accurate determination of the dissolved carbon content in the tungsten matrix, and we advocate for an accurate description of atomic collision cascades, in light of the sensitivity of our results with respect to correlated recombination.

KW - tungsten

KW - neutron irradiation

KW - swelling

KW - kinetic

KW - monte carlo

KW - simulation

UR - http://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/open/25257166

U2 - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.06.008

DO - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.06.008

M3 - Article

JO - Journal of Nuclear Materials

JF - Journal of Nuclear Materials

SN - 0022-3115

ER -