辐照条件下钼铼合金低温时效过程微观组织演化的相场法研究

Phase-field Modeling of Irradiation Effect on Microstructural Evolution in Mo-Re Alloy during Low-temperature Aging

  • 摘要: 包壳材料的辐照损伤行为是影响高温反应堆安全运行的核心问题。钼铼(Mo-Re)合金因其优异的高温力学性能和中子学特性,成为燃料包壳材料的重要候选,但其辐照微观结构演化机制尚不明确。本文通过构建相场模型,系统研究了不同Re含量的Mo-Re合金在辐照条件下的组织演化规律。模型综合考虑辐照诱导空位与间隙原子扩散对相变动力学的影响,揭示了温度、辐照剂量与成分对析出相演化的影响规律。结果表明:较高温条件下,由于较快的热扩散和弹道混合效应,χ相和σ相都很难稳定存在;低温条件下χ相能够稳定形核生长,辐照过程中Re元素偏聚特性和缺陷增值为χ相和σ相的稳定生长提供了有利条件。本文研究通过相场模拟阐明了Mo-Re合金辐照时效过程的组织演化机制,为揭示其辐照硬化机制提供了理论基础,对核能材料性能优化具有指导意义。

     

    Abstract: Irradiation damage of fuel cladding materials is the critical bottleneck limiting the safe, long-term operation of advanced high-temperature nuclear reactors. Molybdenum-rhenium (Mo-Re) alloys, with outstanding high-temperature strength, thermal conductivity and neutron irradiation resistance, are leading candidate cladding materials for next-generation fast reactors and space nuclear reactors. However, their complex microstructural evolution under irradiation—especially the coupled effects of irradiation defects and ballistic mixing on precipitate stability, remains poorly understood. Existing phase-field models overlook the synergy between defect accumulation and atomic mixing, causing large deviations between simulations and experiments. This work develops a comprehensive phase-field model integrating irradiation-induced vacancies and ballistic mixing, to systematically study microstructural evolution of Mo-Re alloys with varying Re content at different temperatures. A robust phase-field model was constructed for Mo-Re binary alloys, with total free energy comprising chemical, gradient and irradiation-induced contributions. Order parameter evolution follows the Allen-Cahn equation, and solute diffusion follows the Cahn-Hilliard equation. A Gaussian-distribution ballistic mixing term was introduced to describe atomic relocation from displacement cascades, and irradiation-induced vacancy accumulation was incorporated to modify the free energy of the BCC matrix. Thermodynamic parameters for BCC, χ and σ phases were adopted from an optimized database; Free energy curves were calculated via Pandat and polynomial fitted for efficiency. Governing equations were numerically solved by the finite difference method. Simulations explored the effects of temperature (673-1 573 K), Re content (5%-41%, in terms of atomic fractions) on precipitate nucleation, growth and stability, validated against literature experimental data. Simulation results show temperature dominates precipitate stability in irradiated Mo-Re alloys. At high temperatures, enhanced thermal diffusion and ballistic mixing accelerate χ and σ phases’ dissolution, with faster dissolution at lower Re content. Irradiation-induced vacancies significantly promote low-temperature precipitation by elevating BCC matrix free energy and increasing thermodynamic driving force for Re segregation—stable χ phase precipitates even in Mo-5Re at 873 K under irradiation, impossible without defects. With rising Re content, χ and σ phases compete for matrix Re: χ phase grows anisotropically as laths along the matrix 110 direction, while σ phase forms equiaxed particles. Simulated χ phase volume fractions (12.29% for Mo-5Re, 18.90% for Mo-10Re) agree well with experimental data (15.53% and 17.2%), with error <10%. This study reproduces the irradiation-induced microstructural evolution of Mo-Re alloys and clarifies the synergistic regulation of temperature, irradiation and composition on precipitate stability. Ballistic mixing drives microstructural evolution via homogenization and precipitate dissolution, while irradiation vacancies dominate Re-rich phase precipitation. The phase-field model enables quantitative prediction of irradiation-induced microstructural changes, laying a theoretical foundation for understanding irradiation hardening and embrittlement, and guiding composition optimization, performance enhancement and service life evaluation of advanced nuclear fuel cladding.

     

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