THE EFFECT OF SOLUTES ON DEFECT DISTRIBUTIONS AND HARDENING IN ION-IRRADIATED MODEL FERRITIC ALLOYS

A series of nine model ferritic alloys were ion irradiated at similar to 300 degrees C using 2.5 MeV He ions to a dose of 1.4 X 10(21) ion/m (2), which corresponds to similar to 0.1 dpa at a depth of 2 mu m and similar to 3.5 dpa at the peak damage region which occurs at about 3 m u m deep. The resultant changes in hardness as a function of depth wer e measured using a Nanoindenter(R). TEM was used to investigate the de fect distributions. The effect of various solutes, Cu and N in particu lar, but Mn and Ti as well, on the change of hardness and the defect d istribution due to the ion irradiation an discussed.