Transmission electron microscopy study of the heavy-ion-irradiation-induced changes in the nanostructure of oxide dispersion strengthened steels

Transmission electron microscopy was used to study the effect of heavy-ion irradiation on the structure and the phase state of three oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels: ODS Eurofer, ODS 13.5Cr, and ODS 13.5Cr–0.3Ti (wt %). Samples were irradiated with iron and titanium ions to fluences of 1015 and ~3 × 1015 cm–2 at 300, 573, and 773 K. The study of the region of maximum radiation damage shows that irradiation increases the number density of oxide particles in all samples. The fraction of fine inclusions increases in the particle size distribution. This effect is most pronounced in the ODS 13.5Cr steel irradiated with titanium ions at 300 K to a fluence of 3 × 1015 cm–2. It is demonstrated that oxide inclusions in ODS 13.5Cr–0.3Ti and ODS 13.5Cr steels are more stable upon irradiation at 573 and 773 K than upon irradiation at 300 K.