Effects of Al addition on Vickers hardness increase by thermal aging of Fe-Cr-Al alloys; Evaluation by systematic experiments, machine learning modeling, and first-principles calculations

Abe, Yosuke; Tsuru, Tomohito; Fujita, Yohei*; Otomo, Masahide*; Sasaki, Taisuke*; Yamashita, Shinichiro; Okubo, Nariaki; Ukai, Shigeharu

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 606, p.155606_1 - 155606_12, 2025/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.155606

We investigated the effect of Al addition on the formation of phase in Fe-Cr-Al model alloys by thermal aging. The Vickers hardness tests and a machine learning model indicate that the formation of the phase is promoted by low Al additions and suppressed by high Al additions. First-principles calculations, which indicate that Cr-Al-vacancy pairs are more stable than Cr-Cr pairs and that including Al atoms during phase nucleation may be energetically advantageous. On the other hand, the formation of Al-Al pairs was very unstable. The formation of Al-Al pairs near the interface can be avoided when the amount of Al addition is small. However, it is inevitable when the amount of Al addition is significant, leading to the instability of the phase.

Latent ion tracks were finally observed in diamond

Amekura, Hiroshi*; Chettah, A.*; Narumi, Kazumasa*; Chiba, Atsuya*; Hirano, Yoshimi*; Yamada, Keisuke*; Yamamoto, Shunya*; Leino, A. A.*; Djurabekova, F.*; Nordlund, K.*; et al.

Nature Communications (Internet), 15, p.1786_1 - 1786_10, 2024/02

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-45934-4

Injecting high-energy heavy ions in the electronic stopping regime into solids can create cylindrical damage zones called latent ion tracks. Although these tracks form in many materials, none have ever been observed in diamond, even when irradiated with high-energy GeV uranium ions. Here we report the first observation of ion track formation in diamond irradiated with 2-9 MeV C fullerene ions. Depending on the ion energy, the mean track length (diameter) changed from 17 (3.2) nm to 52 (7.1) nm. High resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM) indicated the amorphization in the tracks, in which -bonding signal from graphite was detected by the electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS).

Development of high temperature LBE corrosion test loop "OLLOCHI"

Saito, Shigeru; Wan, T.*; Okubo, Nariaki; Kita, Satoshi*; Obayashi, Hironari; Sasa, Toshinobu

JAEA-Technology 2021-034, 94 Pages, 2022/03

JAEA-Technology-2021-034.pdf:5.91MB

Lead-bismuth eutectic alloy (LBE) is a major candidate for a spallation target material and core coolant of an accelerator driven system (ADS) which has been developed in the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) to transmute high-level radioactive wastes. A proton irradiation facility to build a material irradiation database for future ADS development is under considering in the J-PARC. To realize both the ADS and the above-mentioned facility, there are many issues on operational safety of LBE to be solved. Especially, corrosion data for the major materials such as T91 (Modified 9Cr-1Mo steel) and SS316L at the temperature range between 400 and 550 C under the conditions of flowing LBE with a controlled oxygen are not sufficient to design the ADS and the facility. JAEA developed a new large-scale corrosion test loop named "OLLOCHI (Oxygen-controlled LBE LOop for Corrosion tests in HIgh-temperature)" aiming to perform the compatibility tests between the LBE and the steels, as well as to develop the LBE operation technology. OLLOCHI has a function to automatically control the oxygen concentration in LBE. The maximum temperature at the regions of high-temperature and low-temperature of the OLLOCHI are 550 C and 450 C respectively to cover the ADS designed condition. As a result of 2,000 hours operation, it was demonstrated that the OLLOCHI showed the designed performance. In this report, outline of the OLLOCHI, details of the components, results of characteristic tests, and the future experimental plan are described.

Durability of secondary electron emission for high-intensity beam on SiC wire

Meigo, Shinichiro; Nakano, Keita; Okubo, Nariaki; Yuyama, Takahiro*; Ishii, Yasuyuki*

Proceedings of 18th Annual Meeting of Particle Accelerator Society of Japan (Internet), p.296 - 301, 2021/10

no abstracts in English

Radiation damage mechanism in ceramics irradiated with swift heavy ions

Ishikawa, Norito; Taguchi, Tomitsugu*; Okubo, Nariaki

Shototsu, 18(3), p.43 - 55, 2021/05

https://doi.org/10.50847/collision.18.3_43

Radiation damage mechanism in ceramics irradiated with swift heavy ions has been studied by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We introduce how the mechanisms are unveiled by our recent TEM studies.

Status of LBE study and experimental plan at JAEA

Saito, Shigeru; Wan, T.*; Okubo, Nariaki; Obayashi, Hironari; Watanabe, Nao; Ohdaira, Naoya*; Kinoshita, Hidetaka; Yamaki, Kenichi*; Kita, Satoshi*; Yoshimoto, Hidemitsu*; et al.

JPS Conference Proceedings (Internet), 33, p.011041_1 - 011041_6, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.7566/JPSCP.33.011041

An Accelerator Driven System (ADS) for waste transmutation investigated in JAEA employs lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) as a neutron production target material and coolant. The neutrons are to be produced via the spallation with 1.5 GeV proton beam injection. As materials irradiation data are important for ADS development, JAEA plans to construct an irradiation facility with LBE neutron production target in J-PARC. There are many technical issues on LBE for practical use. In JAEA, various R&Ds are being carried out. Concerning corrosion study, conditioning operation and functional tests of OLLOCHI started. Oxygen concentration control technology has also developing. In the large scale LBE loop experiment, the operation for steady state and transient experiments was performed by using IMMORTAL. In the area of instrument, development of ultrasonic flow meter and freeze seal valve are progressing as a key technology for the LBE loop system. Investigation of behavior of impurities in LBE, which is important for design of the irradiation facility, started. In this paper, the status of the LBE studies and experimental plan will be presented.

Irradiation effects of swift heavy ions detected by refractive index depth profiling

Amekura, Hiroshi*; Li, R.*; Okubo, Nariaki; Ishikawa, Norito; Chen, F.*

Quantum Beam Science (Internet), 4(4), p.39_1 - 39_11, 2020/12

https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs4040039

Evolution of depth profiles of the refractive index in YAlO (YAG) crystals were studied under 200 MeV Xe ion irradiation. The index changes were observed at three different depth regions; (i) a plateau near the surface between 0 and 3 m in depth, which can be ascribed to the electronic stopping Se, (ii) a broad peak at 6 m in depth, and (iii) a sharp dip at 13 m in depth, which is attributed to the nuclear stopping Sn peak.

Swift heavy ion irradiation to non-amorphizable CaF and amorphizable YAlO (YAG) crystals

Amekura, Hiroshi*; Li, R.*; Okubo, Nariaki; Ishikawa, Norito; Chen, F.*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 474, p.78 - 82, 2020/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2020.04.023

Yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) and calcium fluoride (CaF) were irradiated with 200 MeV Xe ions. YAG crystal was transformed to an amorphous phase, whereas CaF shows the non-amorphizable nature. In spite of amorphization, YAG maintained its transparency, whereas CaF markedly loses it transparency showing a broad absorption band centered at 550 nm.

Degradation prediction of a gamma-ray radiation dosimeter using InGaP solar cells in a primary containment vessel of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station

Okuno, Yasuki; Yamaguchi, Masafumi*; Okubo, Nariaki; Imaizumi, Mitsuru*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 57(4), p.457 - 462, 2020/04

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2019.1691072

Indium gallium phosphide (InGaP) solar cell with a superior high-radiation resistance is expected to be a powerful candidate for a dosimeter under a high-radiation dose rate environment. In this study, in order to predict the lifetime as the dosimeter using the InGaP solar cell, we clarify the effect of minority-carrier diffusion length () on a radiation-induced current as a dose signal in the InGaP solar cell by irradiation tests and empirical calculations. In the irradiation tests, the short circuit current density () as a function of the gamma-ray dose rate is measured to estimate the for the InGaP solar cell by irradiation tests. The operational lifetime as a detector using the InGaP solar cell under various dose rates is estimated by using the empirical calculations based on the relation between the L and absorbed dose. The results suggest that the dosimeter using InGaP solar cell is able to be used during more than 10 h in the primary containment vessel of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and it has a high potential of being a radiation-resistant dosimeter that would contribute to the decommissioning.

Application of InGaP space solar cells for a radiation dosimetry at high dose rates environment of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Okuno, Yasuki; Okubo, Nariaki; Imaizumi, Mitsuru*

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 56(9-10), p.851 - 858, 2019/09

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2019.1585987

Decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (1F) after the accident caused by a tsunami in 2011 requires characterization of the fuel debris by dose distribution measurement. This paper describes the experimental and theoretical behavior of a radiation detector applied with InGaP solar cells is investigated and allow the localization and characterization of the fuel debris. In the irradiation test, it was observed that the radiation-induced current output of the InGaP solar cells increases linearly with increasing dose rates of Co -ray. For measurements at low dose rates, it becomes clear that the minimum detectable dose rate and resolution can be determined by analyzing the noise characterization. The maximum detection limit of radiation dosimetry for the InGaP solar cell was found to be higher than the highest -ray dose rate observable at the reactor core for 1F plants. Additionally, as an analysis of the radiation-induced current, it is attempted to express a relational expression between the absorbed dose rate and the creation of radiation-induced current pairs in the solar cells. The experimental and simulation results suggest that solar cells can be powerful tools for radiation dosimetry in high dose rate environments near the debris of the 1F plant.