PHYSICAL MODEL OF THE INFLUENCE OF OVERSIZE IMPURITIES ON THE RADIATION HARDENING OF IRON ALPHA-ALLOYS

A physical model is proposed for the influence of oversize impurities on the characteristics of radiation-defect formation in neutron-irradi ated iron alloys at low and high irradiation temperatures. A compariso n is made between the theoretical expressions obtained for radiation h ardening at different temperatures and the existing experimental data. For low temperatures, the agreement was satisfactory, so we can estim ate one of the microscopic parameters of impurity atoms - the relative size of the region of influence of the impurity atoms. For high irrad iation temperatures, the behavior of the radiation hardening of an all oy with oversize impurities is predicted as a function of impurity siz e. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7850(97)03004-8].