Study on the creep behavior and mechanisms of Ti3AlC2 MAX phase under ion irradiation

The creep properties of structural materials under extreme irradiation are crucial for the safety and stability of nuclear facilities. This work investigates the effect of irradiation on creep behavior of Ti3AlC2 MAX phase material, focusing on irradiation fluence (dose) and temperature. Interestingly, we discover for the first time that the relationship between the creep stress exponent (n) and irradiation fluence (phi) in Ti3AlC2 satisfies phi n=A center dot ln phi + B, enhancing the understanding of irradiation's impact on the Ti3AlC2 MAX phase. Additionally, the creep strain rate (epsilon) in Ti3AlC2 correlates with irradiation temperature (T) as epsilon=E center dot(e(-1/T))(F)+G. Results show that the creep stress exponent in irradiated Ti3AlC2 increases with fluence and decreases with temperature, surpassing unirradiated samples, while the strain rate follows the opposite trend. Compared to other candidate materials, Ti3AlC2 MAX phase demonstrates excellent creep resistance under irradiation. These findings provide valuable insights for developing advanced nuclear structural materials.