Hardening of Fe-Cu model alloys induced by electron irradiation and neutron irradiation

Tobita, Toru; Aizawa, Kazuya  ; Suzuki, Masahide; Iwase, Akihiro*

Nevertheless, there is a possibility that -ray induces embrittlement more efficiently than fast neutron, the irradiation effect of -ray has not been fully clarified. Comparative experiments on irradiation hardening by 2.5MeV electron irradiation for the purpose of -ray irradiation and neutron irradiation were performed to the Fe-Cu model alloys. We obtained the dose dependence and the temperature dependence on irradiation induced hardening. The growth of Cu clusters with increase in irradiation dose was confirmed by the small angle neutron scattering measurements. Although the differences in hardening between electron and neutron irradiations were very small on a displacement-per-atom (dpa) basis, the electron irradiation hardening initiated slightly earlier than the neutron. The growth of Cu clusters with increase in irradiation dose was the principal cause of hardening. The present results suggested that, from an engineering point of view, both the -ray induced and neutron induced hardening can be well scaled by using dpa.