PNNL

Abstract

As a candidate material for fusion reactor designs, silicon carbide (SiC) under high-energy neutron irradiation undergoes atomic displacement damage and transmutation reactions that create magnesium as one of the major metallic products. The presence of Mg and lattice disorder in SiC is expected to affect structural stability and degrade thermo-mechanical properties that could limit SiC lifetime for service. We have initiated a combined experimental and computational study that uses Mg+ ion implantation and multiscale modeling to investigate the structural and chemical effects in Mg implanted SiC and explore possible property degradation mechanisms.