A new loop-punching mechanism for helium bubble growth in tungsten. (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xie, Hongxian; Gao, Ning; Xu, Ke; Lu, Guang-Hong; Yu, Tao; Yin, Fuxing
• Is Part Of: Acta materialia. Volume 141(2017)
• Page Start: 10
• Page End: 17
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Atomistic simulation -- He bubble growth -- BCC tungsten -- Cross-slip; Materials -- Periodicals; Materials science -- Periodicals; Materials -- Mechanical properties -- Periodicals; Metallurgy -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Inorganic -- Periodicals; 620.112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.actamat.2017.09.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-6454

Abstract

Abstract: Growth of helium (He) bubbles with different initial sizes in tungsten (W) has been investigated by performing molecular dynamics simulations. Based on the simulation results a new loop punching mechanism for the large helium bubble growth is proposed. Different from the growth of small-size He bubbles by pushing out self-interstitial atoms and then rearranging into a prismatic dislocation loop, a large-size bubble grows by pushing out a dislocation, subsequently cross-slipping of its screw components and finally evolving into a prismatic dislocation loop. Such dislocations may react with each other to form a dislocation net around the bubble rather than to convert to prismatic dislocation loops. Graphical abstract: Image 1