Cr precipitation in neutron irradiated industrial purity Fe-Cr model alloys

The microstructure of four neutron irradiated Fe-Cr model alloys of industrial purity (Fe-2.5%Cr, Fe-5%Cr, Fe-9%Cr and Fe-12%Cr) has been characterized by atom probe tomography (APT). Irradiation has been performed at 300 degrees C up to 0.6 dpa in MTR reactor. APT investigations confirmed the enhanced precipitation of alpha' clusters as these clusters have only been observed in supersaturated model alloys. In addition a nonexpected family of clusters has been revealed due to irradiation induced segregation of impurities: NiSiPCr-enriched clusters. They might be associated to defect clusters invisible by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A quantitative description of these objects is presented in this paper and results are compared with TEM and SANS data of the literature obtained on the same model alloy. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.