PNNL

Abstract

SylramicTM type SiC fibers, which contain at least 2.3 wt% B, were examined by TEM following neutron irradiation to dose levels of ~7 dpa in HFIR at 800°C and to ~1 dpa in ATR at 1090°C. At these radiation damage dose levels, transmutation of the boron-10 component effectively “dopes” the Sylramic? type fibers with up to 10,000 appm helium. Following irradiation at 800°C, bubble development was too fine to resolve even by high resolution TEM. However, following irradiation at 1090°C helium bubble development was resolvable, but complex. A fine dispersion of 1-nm bubbles was observed within the SiC grains and a coarse, non-uniform distribution of irregular 25-nm bubbles was observed on grain boundaries. In addition, some unusual arrays of planar 2.5-nm thick bubbles were observed in the SiC grains and equiaxed bubbles were observed in the boride precipitate particles contained within the fiber microstructure. Not unexpectedly, helium retention and bubble formation in ß-SiC depends on details of the polycrystalline microstructure as well as the irradiation conditions.