Persistence of microstructural evolution in irradiated metals and its consequences at high radiation exposure

Abstract

A review is presented of a very general aspect of the response of all metals subjected to displacive irradiation. This aspect is referred to as «persistence» and describes the tendency of both radiation-induced microstructural evolution and the associated changes in material properties or dimensional stability to evolve to saturation states that resist further change upon continued irradiation. It is shown that new persistent states can develop on a longer time frame associated with the late-term loss of existing microstructural components or the gain of new components, especially when transmutation and/or segregation occurs. The persistent states are often dependent on the irradiation conditions, and if these are changed, the material usually adjusts to form the persistent state characteristic of the new conditions, with the memory of the former state often lost, and sometimes leaving no visible record of the former state in the new microstructure. Depending on the microstructural components involved, the transition toward the new persistent state can occur quickly or very slowly.