High-performance alloys that can withstand operation in hazardous nuclear environments are critical to presentday in-service reactor support and maintenance and are foundational for reactor concepts of the future. With commercial nuclear energy vendors and operators facing the retirement of staff during the coming decades, much of the scholarly knowledge of nuclear materials pursuant to appropriate, impactful, and safe usage is at risk. Led by the multi-award winning editorial team of G. Robert Odette (UCSB) and Steven J. Zinkle (UTK/ORNL) and with contributions from leaders of each alloy discipline, Structural Alloys for Nuclear Energy Applications aids the next generation of researchers and industry staff developing and maintaining steels, nickel-base alloys, zirconium alloys, and other structural alloys in nuclear energy applications. This authoritative reference is a critical acquisition for institutions and individuals seeking state-of-the-art knowledge aided by the editors' unique personal insight from decades of frontline research, engineering and management. - Focuses on in-service irradiation, thermal, mechanical, and chemical performance capabilities. - Covers the use of steels and other structural alloys in current fission technology, leading edge Generation-IV fission reactors, and future fusion power reactors. - Provides a critical and comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art experimental knowledge base of reactor materials, for applications ranging from engineering safety and lifetime assessments to supporting the development of advanced computational models.

The effect of fast-neutron (>1 Mev) irradiation on the mechanical properties of structural metals and alloys was studied. Although the yield strengths and ultimate tensile strengths are increased su stantially for most materials, the ductility suffers severe decreases. This report presents these changes in properties of several structural metals for a number of neutron exposures within the 1.0 x 10 to the 18th power to 5.0 x 10 to the 21st power n/sq cm range. Data summarizing these effects on several classes of materials such as carbon steels, low-alloy steels, stainless steels, Zr-base alloys, ni-base alloys, Al-base alloys, and Ta are given. Additional data which show the influence f irradiation temperatures and of post-irradiation annealing on the radiation-induced property changes are also given and discussed. Increases as great as 175% in yield strength, 100% in ultimate strength, and decreases of 80% in total elongation are reported for fast-neutron exposures as great as 5 10 to the 21st power n/sq cm. (Author).

Operating at a high level of fuel efficiency, safety, proliferation-resistance, sustainability and cost, generation IV nuclear reactors promise enhanced features to an energy resource which is already seen as an outstanding source of reliable base load power. The performance and reliability of materials when subjected to the higher neutron doses and extremely corrosive higher temperature environments that will be found in generation IV nuclear reactors are essential areas of study, as key considerations for the successful development of generation IV reactors are suitable structural materials for both in-core and out-of-core applications. Structural Materials for Generation IV Nuclear Reactors explores the current state-of-the art in these areas. Part One reviews the materials, requirements and challenges in generation IV systems. Part Two presents the core materials with chapters on irradiation resistant austenitic steels, ODS/FM steels and refractory metals amongst others. Part Three looks at out-of-core materials. Structural Materials for Generation IV Nuclear Reactors is an essential reference text for professional scientists, engineers and postgraduate researchers involved in the development of generation IV nuclear reactors. - Introduces the higher neutron doses and extremely corrosive higher temperature environments that will be found in generation IV nuclear reactors and implications for structural materials - Contains chapters on the key core and out-of-core materials, from steels to advanced micro-laminates - Written by an expert in that particular area

The revised second edition of this established text offers readers a significantly expanded introduction to the effects of radiation on metals and alloys. It describes the various processes that occur when energetic particles strike a solid, inducing changes to the physical and mechanical properties of the material. Specifically it covers particle interaction with the metals and alloys used in nuclear reactor cores and hence subject to intense radiation fields. It describes the basics of particle-atom interaction for a range of particle types, the amount and spatial extent of the resulting radiation damage, the physical effects of irradiation and the changes in mechanical behavior of irradiated metals and alloys. Updated throughout, some major enhancements for the new edition include improved treatment of low- and intermediate-energy elastic collisions and stopping power, expanded sections on molecular dynamics and kinetic Monte Carlo methodologies describing collision cascade evolution, new treatment of the multi-frequency model of diffusion, numerous examples of RIS in austenitic and ferritic-martensitic alloys, expanded treatment of in-cascade defect clustering, cluster evolution, and cluster mobility, new discussion of void behavior near grain boundaries, a new section on ion beam assisted deposition, and reorganization of hardening, creep and fracture of irradiated materials (Chaps 12-14) to provide a smoother and more integrated transition between the topics. The book also contains two new chapters. Chapter 15 focuses on the fundamentals of corrosion and stress corrosion cracking, covering forms of corrosion, corrosion thermodynamics, corrosion kinetics, polarization theory, passivity, crevice corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking. Chapter 16 extends this treatment and considers the effects of irradiation on corrosion and environmentally assisted corrosion, including the effects of irradiation on water chemistry and the mechanisms of irradiation-induced stress corrosion cracking. The book maintains the previous style, concepts are developed systematically and quantitatively, supported by worked examples, references for further reading and end-of-chapter problem sets. Aimed primarily at students of materials sciences and nuclear engineering, the book will also provide a valuable resource for academic and industrial research professionals. Reviews of the first edition: "...nomenclature, problems and separate bibliography at the end of each chapter allow to the reader to reach a straightforward understanding of the subject, part by part. ... this book is very pleasant to read, well documented and can be seen as a very good introduction to the effects of irradiation on matter, or as a good references compilation for experimented readers." - Pauly Nicolas, Physicalia Magazine, Vol. 30 (1), 2008 “The text provides enough fundamental material to explain the science and theory behind radiation effects in solids, but is also written at a high enough level to be useful for professional scientists. Its organization suits a graduate level materials or nuclear science course... the text was written by a noted expert and active researcher in the field of radiation effects in metals, the selection and organization of the material is excellent... may well become a necessary reference for graduate students and researchers in radiation materials science.” - L.M. Dougherty, 07/11/2008, JOM, the Member Journal of The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society.

The study of radiation effects has developed as a major field of materials science from the beginning, approximately 70 years ago. Its rapid development has been driven by two strong influences. The properties of the crystal defects and the materials containing them may then be studied. The types of radiation that can alter structural materials consist of neutrons, ions, electrons, gamma rays or other electromagnetic waves with different wavelengths. All of these forms of radiation have the capability to displace atoms/molecules from their lattice sites, which is the fundamental process that drives the changes in all materials. The effect of irradiation on materials is fixed in the initial event in which an energetic projectile strikes a target. The book is distributed in four sections: Ionic Materials; Biomaterials; Polymeric Materials and Metallic Materials.