Gamma-Radiation Annealing to Mitigate Neutron-Induced Degradationof Both Model and Structural Reactor Materials

摘要

Formation and evolution of radiation defects are determined by the irradiation conditions. Some of these conditions do not get sufficient attention. In particular, this is true for the gamma-annealing process whose role in radiation-induced effects have not been considered in detail previously. Reactor experiments have shown that volume expansion of diamond and silicon carbide depends on the gamma-radiation flux value: the higher the gamma-flux, the lower is the expansion. Radiation gamma-annealing was also discovered in reactor grade graphite. Analysis has shown that this phenomenon is probably operating in reactor pressure vessel materials. This phenomenon opens a new perspective of radiation effects mitigation and reactor materials life cycle management using neutron and gamma-ray intensity control.