Radiation Effects And Micromechanics Of Sic

Download or read book Radiation Effects and Micromechanics of SiC written by and published by . This book was released on 1992 with total page 5 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The basic displacement damage process in SiC has been fully explored, and the mechanisms identified. Major modifications have been made to the theory of damage dosimetry in Fusion, Fission and Ion Simulation studies of Sic. For the first time, calculations of displacements per atoms in SiC can be made in any irradiation environment. Applications to irradiations in fusion first wall neutron spectra (ARIES and PROMETHEUS) as well as in fission spectra (HIFIR and FFTF) are given. Nucleation of helium-filled cavities in SiC was studied, using concepts of stability theory to determine the size of the critical nucleus under continuous generation of helium and displacement damage. It is predicted that a bimodal distribution of cavity sizes is likely to occur in heavily irradiated SiC. A study of the chemical compatibility of SiC composite structures with fusion reactor coolants at high-temperatures was undertaken. It was shown that SiC itself is chemically very stable in helium coolants in the temperature range 500--1000[degree]C. However, current fiber/matrix interfaces, such as C and BN are not. The fracture mechanics of high-temperature matrix cracks with bridging fibers is now in progress. A fundamentally unique approach to study the propagation and interaction of cracks in a composite was initiated. The main focus of our research during the following period will be : (1) Theory and experiments for the micro-mechanics of high-temperature failure; and (2) Analysis of radiation damage and microstructure evolution.