THEORETICAL BASIS FOR UNIFIED ANALYSIS OF EXPERIMENTAL-DATA AND DESIGN OF SWELLING-RESISTANT ALLOYS

Essential aspects of the theory of radiation-induced swelling are reviewed. In particular, concepts central to the understanding of experimental data and the control of swelling by alloy design are discussed. The knowledge that a critical number of gas atoms is required in a cavity before point defect-driven swelling can begin is a most important contribution of theory. The mathematical expressions that have been derived for calculating this critical quantity are given in terms of materials parameters and irradiation conditions. After swelling begins, its magnitude as a function of dose is governed strongly by the relative sink strengths for point defects of dislocations and cavities, expressed in terms of an index of the microstructure, Q. High swelling and low swelling microstructures can be categorized into four types based on this index. Wide ranges of experimental swelling results covering ferritic/martensitic and austenitic alloys, neutron and ion irradiations and a variety of compositions and irradiation conditions are analyzed and found to be explained consistently within this framework. Based on the understanding gained, approaches to alloy design for swelling resistance are recommended.