Damage rate measurements at 4.6 K and recovery studies in zirconium and zirconium-tin alloys

Abstract Pure Zr and Zr–Sn (0.015 at. % to 2.3 at. % Sn) allOays were irradiated at 4.6 K to a fast neutron fluence of 2.5 × 1022 neutrons m−2 and the radiation-induced resistivity was measured in situ as a function of dose. Compared to pure Zr the initial damage rate was higher in Zr—Sn alloys, whereas the saturation resistivity was found to remain almost constant. The samples were subjected to isochronal annealing in the temperature range of 30—509 K and the different recovery stages studied. The addition of tin suppressed the recovery in stage I and stage III.