Ion Irradiation Damage Behavior in Titanium Carbide with Different Stoichiometry

doi:10.15541/jim20250228

Abstract

Abstract:

Gen IV nuclear reactors operate in extreme service environments characterized by high temperature and intense irradiation, imposing stringent demands on structural materials and thus necessitating the development of novel irradiation resistant materials. Titanium carbide (TiC_x) ceramic is considered as promising structural materials for advanced nuclear reactors, attributed to its high melting point, excellent mechanical properties, and excellent corrosion resistance. In this study, TiC_x films with different stoichiometry were irradiated with 3 MeV Au²⁺, aiming to systematically investigate irradiation-induced changes in structural characteristics, surface morphology, and mechanical properties under different irradiation fluences. The results revealed that the structural disorder of TiC_x intensified with irradiation fluence increasing, while the substoichiometric TiC_x maintained superior structural stability after irradiation. The surface roughness of sub-stoichiometric TiC_x showed no significant variation after irradiation, with no irradiation-induced crack formed. Additionally, both hardness and elastic modulus of TiC_x exhibited an increasing trend after irradiation, with substoichiometric TiC_x demonstrated enhanced resistance to irradiation hardening compared to near-stoichiometric counterparts. The native carbon vacancies in substoichiometric TiC_x effectively suppresses the accumulation of irradiation-induced defects, thereby preserving excellent stability. This study provides critical insights into the relationship between stoichiometry and irradiation damage in TiC_x, while also offering valuable guidance for designing new classes of irradiation-resistant ceramic materials.

Key words: titanium carbide films, ion irradiation, structural analysis, surface morphology, mechanical properties

CLC Number:

TB43

SHI Jinyu, LEI Yiming, WANG Chenxu, ZHANG Jie, WANG Jingyang. Ion Irradiation Damage Behavior in Titanium Carbide with Different Stoichiometry[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, DOI: 10.15541/jim20250228.

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