• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.323-331
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• 2015

Zirconium alloys are widely used in nuclear reactors as structural materials. During the operation, they are exposed to fast neutrons. Ion irradiation is used to simulate the damage introduced by neutron irradiation. In this article, we briefly review the neutron irradiation damage of zirconium alloys, then summarize the effect of ion irradiation on microstructural evolution, mechanical and corrosion properties, and their relationships. The microstructure components consist of dislocation loops, second phase precipitates, and gas bubbles. The microstructure parameters are also included such as domain size and microstrain determined by X-ray diffraction and the S-parameter determined by positron annihilation. Understanding the relationships of microstructure and properties is necessary for developing new advanced materials with higher irradiation tolerance.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.8
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• pp.2823-2834
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• 2023

Austenitic stainless steel welds (ASSWs) of nuclear components undergo aging-related degradations caused by high temperature and neutron radiation. Since irradiation leads to the change of material characteristics, relevant quantification is important for long-term operation, but limitations exist. Although ion irradiation is utilized to emulate neutron irradiation, its penetration depth is too shallow to measure bulk properties. In this study, a systematic approach was suggested to estimate mechanical properties of ion irradiated 308 ASSW. First of all, weld specimens were irradiated by 2 MeV proton to 1 and 10 dpa. Microstructure evolutions due to irradiation in δ-ferrite and austenite phases were characterized and micropillar compression tests were performed. In succession, dislocation density based stress-strain (S-S) relationships and quantification models of irradiation defects were adopted to define phases in finite element analyses. Resultant microscopic S-S curves were compared to verify material parameters. Finally, macroscopic behaviors were calculated by multiscale simulations using real microstructure based representative volume element (RVE). Validity of the approach was verified for the unirradiated specimens such that the estimated S-S curves and 0.2% offset yield strengths (YSs) which was 363.14 MPa were in 10% agreement with test. For irradiated specimens, the estimated YS were 917.41 MPa in 9% agreement.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.2586-2591
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• 2022

In the present work, we have irradiated the DI-BSCCO superconducting tapes with the 100 keV deuterium ions to investigate the effect of ion irradiation on their critical current (Ic). The damage simulations are carried out using the binary collision approximation method to get the spatial distribution and depth profile of the damage events in the high temperature superconducting (HTS) tape. The point defects are formed near the surface of the HTS tape. These point defects change the vortex profile in the superconducting tape. Due to the long-range interaction of vortices with each other, the Ic of the tape degrades at the 77 K and self magnetic field. The radiation dose of 2.90 MGy degrades the 44% critical current of the tape. The results of the displacement per atom (dpa) and dose deposited by the deuterium ions are used to fit an empirical relation for predicting the degradation of the Ic of the tape. We include the dpa, dose and columnar defect terms produced by the incident particles in the empirical relation. The fitted empirical relation predicts that light ion irradiation degrades the Ic in the DI-BSCCO tape at the self field. This empirical relation can also be used in neutron irradiation to predict the lifetime of the DI-BSCCO tape. The change in the Ic of the DI-BSCCO tape due to deuterium irradiation is compared with the other second-generation HTS tape irradiated with energetic radiation.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.7-7
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• 2011

Quantum beam technology has been expected to develop breakthroughs for nanotechnology during the third basic plan of science and technology (2006~2010). Recently, Green- or Life Innovations has taken over the national interests in the fourth basic science and technology plan (2011~2015). The NIMS (National Institute for Materials Science) has been conducting the corresponding mid-term research plans, as well as other national projects, such as nano-Green project (Global Research for Environment and Energy based on Nanomaterials science). In this lecture, the research trends in Japan and NIMS are firstly reviewed, and the typical achievements are highlighted over key nanotechnology fields. As one of the key nanotechnologies, the quantum beam research in NIMS focused on synchrotron radiation, neutron beams and ion/atom beams, having complementary attributes. The facilities used are SPring-8, nuclear reactor JRR-3, pulsed neutron source J-PARC and ion-laser-combined beams as well as excited atomic beams. Materials studied are typically fuel cell materials, superconducting/magnetic/multi-ferroic materials, quasicrystals, thermoelectric materials, precipitation-hardened steels, nanoparticle-dispersed materials. Here, we introduce a few topics of neutron scattering and ion beam nanofabrication. For neutron powder diffraction, the NIMS has developed multi-purpose pattern fitting software, post RIETAN2000. An ionic conductor, doped Pr2NiO4, which is a candidate for fuel-cell material, was analyzed by neutron powder diffraction with the software developed. The nuclear-density distribution derived revealed the two-dimensional network of the diffusion paths of oxygen ions at high temperatures. Using the high sensitivity of neutron beams for light elements, hydrogen states in a precipitation-strengthened steel were successfully evaluated. The small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) demonstrated the sensitive detection of hydrogen atoms trapped at the interfaces of nano-sized NbC. This result provides evidence for hydrogen embrittlement due to trapped hydrogen at precipitates. The ion beam technology can give novel functionality on a nano-scale and is targeting applications in plasmonics, ultra-fast optical communications, high-density recording and bio-patterning. The technologies developed are an ion-and-laser combined irradiation method for spatial control of nanoparticles, and a nano-masked ion irradiation method for patterning. Furthermore, we succeeded in implanting a wide-area nanopattern using nano-masks of anodic porous alumina. The patterning of ion implantation will be further applied for controlling protein adhesivity of biopolymers. It has thus been demonstrated that the quantum beam-based nanotechnology will lead the innovations both for nano-characterization and nano-fabrication.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.431-435
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• 2023

An irradiation hardening of Inconel 718 produced by selective laser melting (SLM) was studied based on the microstructural observation and mechanical behavior. Ion irradiation for emulating neutron irradiation has been proposed owing to advantages such as low radiation emission and short experimental periods. To prevent softening caused by the dissolution of γ' and γ" precipitates due to irradiation, only solution annealing (SA) was performed. SLM SA Inconel 718 specimen was ion irradiated to demonstrate the difference in microstructure and mechanical properties between the irradiated and non-irradiated specimens. After exposing specimens to Fe³⁺ ions irradiation up to 100 dpa (displacement per atom) at an ambient temperature, the hardness of irradiated specimens was measured by nano-indentation as a function of depth. The depth distribution profile of Fe³⁺ and dpa were calculated by the Monte Carlo SRIM (Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter)-2013 code under the assumption of the displacement threshold energy of 40 eV. A transmission electron microscope was utilized to observe the formation of irradiation defects such as dislocation loops. This study reveals that the Frank partial dislocation loops induce irradiation hardening of SLM SA Inconel 718 specimens.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.213-219
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• 1998

This study was conducted to compare and evaluate the iodide specific ion electrode method (ISE) and neutron activation analysis method (NAA) for determining iodine in human milk and cow milk. The neutron irradiation and counting operations were carried out at the TRIGA Mark-III reactor facility of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute. The mean concentrations of iodine in human milk samples by the ISE and the NAA were 1450$\mu\textrm{g}$/L and 1350$\mu\textrm{g}$/L, respectively. The levels were not significantly different. In cow milk samples , the mean concentrations of iodine by the ISE and the NAA were 250$\mu\textrm{g}$.L and 200$\mu\textrm{g}$/L, respectively. here, the ISE reading was significantly higher than the NAA. reading. The correlations of the two methods were 0.92(p<0.001) for human milk samples and 0.65 for cow milk samples . The coefficient of variation was 8.3% in the ISE and 4.9% in the NAA. Therefore, the iodide specific ion electrode method is sample and fast method, but probably not in processed milk since free sulfhydryl groups in milk are also detected by the iodide electrode. However, these also indicate that the ISE method may be applicable to human milk and pasteurized milk if the conventional pasteurization time-temperature relationship of standards is not exceeded. On the other hand, the NAA method , which is independent of chemical forms and matrix, can be used for determining iodine in all kinds of milk and foods.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.437-441
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• 2022

In this study, we developed a neutron time-of-flight (nTOF) measurement system for a 1.7-MV tandem proton accelerator with a target covered with 300-nm-thick lithium (Li) layer. With implementation of beam chopping module after its ion source, the accelerator is configured to operate in pulsed-beam mode with a pulse width <50 ns at 20-kHz repetition rate. This enables the gamma flash-type nTOF measurement system to identify the neutron generated with 3-MeV proton beam energy. The nTOF system consists of a 30" cylindrical NaI(Tl) and four stilbene scintillation detectors. The NaI(Tl) scintillator is placed 50 cm from the Li target to measure the time of beam irradiation on the target, and the stilbene detectors are placed 2 and 2.4 m away to measure nTOF at each location. The nTOF system successfully measured the generated neutron energy at irradiated proton energies of 2.6 and 3.0 MeV with an average energy resolution of 15%.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.3158-3163
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• 2021

Chromium material is commonly used for fusion plasma facing applications because of the low neutron activation property. The Monte Carlo method is one of the useful ways to investigate the ion-target interactions. In this study, Chromium target irradiated by protons was investigated using Monte Carlo based simulation tools. In this context, the calculations of radiation damage on Chromium material irradiated with protons at 17.9 and 22.3 MeV energies were carried out using GEANT4 and SRIM codes. Besides, the cross sections for proton interaction with Chromium target were calculated by the TALYS 1.9 code using CTM + FGM, BSFGM, and GSFM level densities. As a result, GEANT4, SRIM and TALYS 1.9 codes provide a suitable tool for the predictions of radiation damage and cross cross section with proton irradiation.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.6 no.S1
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• pp.96-109
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• 1997

In order to simulate the corrosion behavior of Zr-4 alloy in pressurized water reactors it was implanted (or bombarded) with 190ke V $Zr^+\; and \;Ar^+$ ions at liquid nitrogen temperature and room temperature respectively up to a dose of $5times10^{15} \sim 8\times10^{16} \textrm{ions/cm}^2$ The oxidation behavior and electrochemical vehavior were studied on implanted and unimplanted samples. The oxidation kinetics of the experimental samples were measured in pure oxygen at 923K and 133.3Pa. The corrosion parameters were measured by anodic polarization methods using a princeton Applied Research Model 350 corrosion measurement system. Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray Photoelectric Spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to investigate the distribution and the ion valence of oxygen and zirconium ions inside the oxide films before and after implantation. it was found tat: 1) the $Zr^+$ ion implantation (or bombardment) enhanced the oxidation of Zircaloy-4 and resulted in that the oxidation weight gain of the samples at a dose of $8times10^{16}\textrm{ions/cm}^2$ was 4 times greater than that of the unimplantation ones;2) the valence of zirconium ion in the oxide films was classified as $Zr^0,Zr^+,Zr^{2+},Zr^{3+}\; and \;Zr^{4+}$ and the higher vlence of zirconium ion increased after the bombardment ; 3) the anodic passivation current density is about 2 ~ 3 times that of the unimplanted samples; 4) the implantation damage function of the effect of ion implantation on corrosion resistance of Zr-4 alloy was established.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.608-616
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• 2015

The migration of silver (Ag) in silicon carbide (SiC) and $^{110m}Ag$ through SiC of irradiated tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel has been studied for the past three to four decades. However, there is no satisfactory explanation for the transport mechanism of Ag in SiC. In this work, the diffusion coefficients of Ag measured and/or estimated in previous studies were reviewed, and then pre-exponential factors and activation energies from the previous experiments were evaluated using Arrhenius equation. The activation energy is $247.4kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ from Ag paste experiments between two SiC layers produced using fluidized-bed chemical vapor deposition (FBCVD), $125.3kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ from integral release experiments (annealing of irradiated TRISO fuel), $121.8kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ from fractional Ag release during irradiation of TRISO fuel in high flux reactor (HFR), and $274.8kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ from Ag ion implantation experiments, respectively. The activation energy from ion implantation experiments is greater than that from Ag paste, fractional release and integral release, and the activation energy from Ag paste experiments is approximately two times greater than that from integral release experiments and fractional Ag release during the irradiation of TRISO fuel in HFR. The pre-exponential factors are also very different depending on the experimental methods and estimation. From a comparison of the pre-exponential factors and activation energies, it can be analogized that the diffusion mechanism of Ag using ion implantation experiment is different from other experiments, such as a Ag paste experiment, integral release experiments, and heating experiments after irradiating TRISO fuel in HFR. However, the results of this work do not support the long held assumption that Ag release from FBCVD-SiC, used for the coating layer in TRISO fuel, is dominated by grain boundary diffusion. In order to understand in detail the transport mechanism of Ag through the coating layer, FBCVD-SiC in TRISO fuel, a microstructural change caused by neutron irradiation during operation has to be fully considered.