LIGHT-ION IRRADIATION-INDUCED CREEP MECHANISMS IN NICKEL

Irradiation creep of fusion reactor structural materials is important for considerations of dimensional stability and creep rupture failure predictions. In the present work, the predicted creep response at 200°C of both cyclic and steady-state deuteron irradiated nickel is analyzed and compared with experiment. The cycle characteristics were chosen to be similar to that expected for a tokamak, i.e., 1000 seconds irradiation followed by 100 seconds at temperature without irradiation. The cyclic creep rate is observed to be approximately three times the creep rate with continuous irradiation. The analysis of both the continuous beam and cyclic beam results support the conclusion that the radiation induced creep mechanism is enhanced climb-glide creep and not stress induced preferential absorption (SIPA). © 1979.