Abstract:
This research investigated how changes in the composition of Nb–Ti–V–Zr-based alloys
affect their resistance to radiation damage and the preservation of strength characteristics when
exposed to the heavy ions Kr15+ and Xe23+. These heavy ions simulate the impact of nuclear fuel
fission fragments on the material. The primary objective of this study was to explore how variations
in alloy components influence radiation resistance and the retention of alloy strength properties.
Accumulation of radiation defects can potentially lead to embrittlement and a decrease in resistance
to external factors during operation. An analysis of the X-ray diffraction data obtained from the initial
alloy samples, in relation to the variations in the number of components, revealed that an increase in
the number of components leads to the formation of a denser crystal structure. Additionally, this
resulted in the emergence of a dislocation strengthening factor associated with changes in crystallite
size. Concurrently, when assessing changes in the strength characteristics of the irradiated alloys, it
was observed that the NbTiV and NbTiVZr alloys demonstrated the highest resistance to strength
property degradation, specifically a 2.5- to 5-fold increase in resistance against a significant decrease
in hardness. It was confirmed that the significant factor contributing towards the enhancement and
preservation of the structural and strength properties is the dislocation strengthening mechanism. An
increase in dislocation strengthening effectively enhances resistance against destructive embrittlement,
particularly when exposed to high-dose irradiation.
