Evolution of Dislocation Loops in 30 keV He+-Irradiated W-0.5% ZrC Alloys: In Situ TEM Observations and Molecular Dynamics Simulations

XY Liu and Z Chen and H Wang and YP Li and ZM Xie and X Liu and G Ran, ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS, 5, 2442-2451 (2022).

DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.1c03915

In situ irradiations with 30 keV He+ have been performed on W-0.5 wt % ZrC at 823 and 1073 K. Detailed characterization showed that the dislocation loops around the ZrC particles with the size range of similar to 120-370 nm were lower in density and smaller than that far away from these particles. The larger the sizes of ZrC particles, the lower the density and smaller the sizes of dislocation loops around the particles would be. In contrast, the higher density of dislocation loops with larger sizes around the ZrC particles with the size range of similar to 20-60 nm was displayed. The interaction between a (100) dislocation line and a (100) dislocation loop was in situ observed and investigated by molecular dynamics simulation for the first time. The reacted (100) dislocations with the orthogonal Burgers vectors are more likely to be responsible for the interaction than that with the parallel geometry. The interaction required the generation of glissile 1/2(111) dislocation segments, which acted as an "intermediate bridge" between the reacted sessile dislocations. The current results will be of benefit to deeply understand the irradiation behavior of the W-ZrC alloy acting as the plasma-facing materials for the application of fusion reactors.

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