Characterizing environmental degradation in PWRs by 3D FIB sequential sectioning

摘要

Modern dual-column FIB-SEMs are capable of automatically milling and acquiring images that can be used to reconstruct sample volumes in 3D. We will demonstrate that this technique, applied to the environmental degradation of materials in nuclear reactors, is capable of revealing features, phases and/or defects in 3D with ran resolution. In this paper, we have used this technique to characterize surface oxidation and cracking in Zr alloys, the effect of cold work on the oxidation resistance of austenitic steels and crack growth in welded 316L stainless steel.