Oxygen effects on irradiated tantalum alloys

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials Vol. 384; no. 1; pp. 25 - 29
• Main Authors: Hosemann, P., Maloy, S.A., Greco, R.R., Swadener, J.G., Romero, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 31.01.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Fuels; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Nuclear fuels; Tantalum; Proton beam; High energy; Embrittlement; Proton irradiation; Clad; Cross section (collision); Contamination; Nuclear reactor
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2008.09.027

Ta and Ta–1% W are being considered to be used as target clad materials in the LANSCE proton beam line for the material test station (MTS). To investigate the embrittlement of these materials due to oxygen contamination and proton irradiation, Ta and Ta–1 wt% W (as received and with ∼400 ppm O) were exposed to a 3.5 MeV proton beam at the ion beam materials laboratory at LANL. After irradiating the samples in the proton beam, nanoindentation was performed in cross-section to investigate the hardness increase of the materials due to irradiation. The nanoindentation showed that the hardness increase due to irradiation is between 9% and 20% depending on the material. The results show good agreement with mechanical testing results on tantalum and Ta–1 wt% W after high energy proton irradiation to doses up to 23 dpa.