Journal Home > Volume 12 , Issue 5
Journal of Advanced Ceramics 2023, 12(5): 916-929 https://doi.org/10.26599/JAC.2023.9220727
Research Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 10 April 2023

Reduced He ion irradiation damage in ZrC-based high-entropy ceramics

Show Author's Information Xiao-Ting Xina,c,†,  Weichao Baoa,†( ),  Xin-Gang Wanga( ),  Xiao-Jie Guoa,c,  Ying Lud,  Chenxi Zhua,  Ji-Xuan Liub,  Qiang Lia,  Fangfang Xua( ),  Guo-Jun Zhangb
State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Shanghai 200050, China
State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Institute of Functional Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China

† Xiao-Ting Xin and Weichao Bao contributed equally to this work.

Keywords:
high-entropy carbides, zirconium carbide (ZrC), irradiation damage, dislocations, helium (He) bubbles
Cite this article:
Xin X-T, Bao W, Wang X-G, et al. Reduced He ion irradiation damage in ZrC-based high-entropy ceramics. Journal of Advanced Ceramics, 2023, 12(5): 916-929. https://doi.org/10.26599/JAC.2023.9220727
Download citation
EndNote(RIS)
BibTeX

547

Views

169

Downloads

Citations

0

Crossref

0

WoS

0

Scopus

0

CSCD

Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Excellent irradiation resistance is the basic property of nuclear materials to keep nuclear safety. The high-entropy design has great potential to improve the irradiation resistance of the nuclear materials, which has been proven in alloys. However, whether or not high entropy can also improve the irradiation resistance of ceramics, especially the mechanism therein still needs to be uncovered. In this work, the irradiation and helium (He) behaviors of zirconium carbide (ZrC)-based high-entropy ceramics (HECs), i.e., (Zr0.2Ti0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2W0.2)C, were investigated and compared with those of ZrC under 540 keV He ion irradiation with a dose of 1×1017 cm−2 at room temperature and subsequent annealing. Both ZrC and (Zr0.2Ti0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2W0.2)C maintain lattice integrity after irradiation, while the irradiation-induced lattice expansion is smaller in (Zr0.2Ti0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2W0.2)C (0.78%) with highly thermodynamic stability than that in ZrC (0.91%). After annealing at 800 ℃, ZrC exhibits the residual 0.20% lattice expansion, while (Zr0.2Ti0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2W0.2)C shows only 0.10%. Full recovery of the lattice parameter (a) is achieved for both ceramics after annealing at 1500 ℃. In addition, the high entropy in the meantime brings about the favorable structural evolution phenomena including smaller He bubbles that are evenly distributed without abnormal coarsening or aggregation, segregation, and shorter and sparser dislocation. The excellent irradiation resistance is related to the high-entropy-induced phase stability, sluggish diffusion of defects, and stress dispersion along with the production of vacancies by valence compensation. The present study indicates a high potential of high-entropy carbides in irradiation resistance applications.


menu
Abstract
Full text
Outline
Electronic supplementary material
About this article

Reduced He ion irradiation damage in ZrC-based high-entropy ceramics

Show Author's information Xiao-Ting Xina,c,†, Weichao Baoa,†( ), Xin-Gang Wanga( ), Xiao-Jie Guoa,c, Ying Lud, Chenxi Zhua, Ji-Xuan Liub, Qiang Lia, Fangfang Xua( ), Guo-Jun Zhangb
State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructure, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Shanghai 200050, China
State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, Institute of Functional Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310024, China

† Xiao-Ting Xin and Weichao Bao contributed equally to this work.

Abstract

Excellent irradiation resistance is the basic property of nuclear materials to keep nuclear safety. The high-entropy design has great potential to improve the irradiation resistance of the nuclear materials, which has been proven in alloys. However, whether or not high entropy can also improve the irradiation resistance of ceramics, especially the mechanism therein still needs to be uncovered. In this work, the irradiation and helium (He) behaviors of zirconium carbide (ZrC)-based high-entropy ceramics (HECs), i.e., (Zr0.2Ti0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2W0.2)C, were investigated and compared with those of ZrC under 540 keV He ion irradiation with a dose of 1×1017 cm−2 at room temperature and subsequent annealing. Both ZrC and (Zr0.2Ti0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2W0.2)C maintain lattice integrity after irradiation, while the irradiation-induced lattice expansion is smaller in (Zr0.2Ti0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2W0.2)C (0.78%) with highly thermodynamic stability than that in ZrC (0.91%). After annealing at 800 ℃, ZrC exhibits the residual 0.20% lattice expansion, while (Zr0.2Ti0.2Nb0.2Ta0.2W0.2)C shows only 0.10%. Full recovery of the lattice parameter (a) is achieved for both ceramics after annealing at 1500 ℃. In addition, the high entropy in the meantime brings about the favorable structural evolution phenomena including smaller He bubbles that are evenly distributed without abnormal coarsening or aggregation, segregation, and shorter and sparser dislocation. The excellent irradiation resistance is related to the high-entropy-induced phase stability, sluggish diffusion of defects, and stress dispersion along with the production of vacancies by valence compensation. The present study indicates a high potential of high-entropy carbides in irradiation resistance applications.

Keywords: high-entropy carbides, zirconium carbide (ZrC), irradiation damage, dislocations, helium (He) bubbles

References(58)

[1]
Zinkle SJ, Was GS. Materials challenges in nuclear energy. Acta Mater 2013, 61: 735–758.
DOI Google Scholar
[2]
Yvon P, Carré F. Structural materials challenges for advanced reactor systems. J Nucl Mater 2009, 385: 217–222.
DOI Google Scholar
[3]
Bao WC, Xue JX, Liu JX, et al. Coating SiC on zircaloy-4 by magnetron sputtering at room temperature. J Alloys Compd 2018, 730: 81–87.
DOI Google Scholar
[4]
Gosset D, Dollé M, Simeone D, et al. Structural evolution of zirconium carbide under ion irradiation. J Nucl Mater 2008, 373: 123–129.
DOI Google Scholar
[5]
Keilholtz GW, Moore RE, Osborne MF. Fast-neutron effects on the carbides of titanium, zirconium, tantalum, niobium, and tungsten. Nucl Technol 1968, 4: 330–336.
DOI Google Scholar
[6]
Ni DW, Cheng Y, Zhang JP, et al. Advances in ultra-high temperature ceramics, composites, and coatings. J Adv Ceram 2022, 11: 1–56.
DOI Google Scholar
[7]
Gu YF, Liu JX, Xu FF, et al. Pressureless sintering of titanium carbide doped with boron or boron carbide. J Eur Ceram Soc 2017, 37: 539–547.
DOI Google Scholar
[8]
Alangi N, Mukherjee J. Liquid gadolinium corrosion study of TaC coating on tantalum. Ceram Int 2018, 44: 19619–19623.
DOI Google Scholar
[9]
Ozaki Y, Zee RH. Investigation of thermal and hydrogen effects on emissivity of refractory metals and carbides. Mater Sci Eng 1995, 202: 134–141.
DOI Google Scholar
[10]
Li F, Huang X, Liu JX, et al. Sol–gel derived porous ultra-high temperature ceramics. J Adv Ceram 2020, 9: 1–16.
DOI Google Scholar
[11]
Träskelin P, Björkas C, Juslin N, et al. Radiation damage in WC studied with MD simulations. Nucl Instrum Meth B 2007, 257: 614–617.
DOI Google Scholar
[12]
Reynolds GH, Janvier JC, Kaae JL, et al. Irradiation behavior of experimental fuel particles containing chemically vapor deposited zirconium carbide coatings. J Nucl Mater 1976, 62: 9–16.
DOI Google Scholar
[13]
Snead LL, Katoh Y, Kondo S. Effects of fast neutron irradiation on zirconium carbide. J Nucl Mater 2010, 399: 200–207.
DOI Google Scholar
[14]
Pierson HO. Handbook of Refractory Carbides and Nitrides: Properties, Characteristics, Processing and Applications. New Jersey, USA: Noyes Publications, 1996.
DOI
[15]
Sevy A, Matthew DJ, Morse MD. Bond dissociation energies of TiC, ZrC, HfC, ThC, NbC, and TaC. J Chem Phys 2018, 149: 044306.
DOI Google Scholar
[16]
Sabor S, Fadili D, Touimi Benjelloun A, et al. Computational spectroscopy of diatomic tungsten carbide, WC. J Mol Spectrosc 2020, 371: 111305.
DOI Google Scholar
[17]
Murray RL. Nuclear Energy: An Introduction to the Concepts, Systems, and Applications of Nuclear Processes, 6th edn. Oxford, UK: Elsevier, 2009.
[18]
Bao WC, Wang XG, Lu Y, et al. Effect of native carbon vacancies on evolution of defects in ZrC1−x under He ion irradiation and annealing. J Mater Sci Technol 2022, 119: 87–97.
DOI Google Scholar
[19]
Beyerlein IJ, Caro A, Demkowicz MJ, et al. Radiation damage tolerant nanomaterials. Mater Today 2013, 16: 443–449.
DOI Google Scholar
[20]
Balasubramanian N. High-entropy alloys: An interview with Jien-Wei Yeh. MRS Bull 2016, 41: 905–906.
DOI Google Scholar
[21]
Zhang YW, Stocks GM, Jin K, et al. Influence of chemical disorder on energy dissipation and defect evolution in concentrated solid solution alloys. Nat Commun 2015, 6: 8736.
DOI Google Scholar
[22]
Lin YP, Yang TF, Lang L, et al. Enhanced radiation tolerance of the Ni–Co–Cr–Fe high-entropy alloy as revealed from primary damage. Acta Mater 2020, 196: 133–143.
DOI Google Scholar
[23]
Lu CY, Yang TN, Jin K, et al. Radiation-induced segregation on defect clusters in single-phase concentrated solid-solution alloys. Acta Mater 2017, 127: 98–107.
DOI Google Scholar
[24]
Schuh B, Mendez-Martin F, Völker B, et al. Mechanical properties, microstructure and thermal stability of a nanocrystalline CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy after severe plastic deformation. Acta Mater 2015, 96: 258–268.
DOI Google Scholar
[25]
Jin K, Lu C, Wang LM, et al. Effects of compositional complexity on the ion-irradiation induced swelling and hardening in Ni-containing equiatomic alloys. Scripta Mater 2016, 119: 65–70.
DOI Google Scholar
[26]
Chen D, Tong Y, Li H, et al. Helium accumulation and bubble formation in FeCoNiCr alloy under high fluence He+ implantation. J Nucl Mater 2018, 501: 208–216.
DOI Google Scholar
[27]
Chen D, Zhao SJ, Sun JR, et al. Diffusion controlled helium bubble formation resistance of FeCoNiCr high-entropy alloy in the half-melting temperature regime. J Nucl Mater 2019, 526: 151747.
DOI Google Scholar
[28]
Lu CY, Niu LL, Chen NJ, et al. Enhancing radiation tolerance by controlling defect mobility and migration pathways in multicomponent single-phase alloys. Nat Commun 2016, 7: 13564.
DOI Google Scholar
[29]
Do HS, Lee BJ. Origin of radiation resistance in multi-principal element alloys. Sci Rep 2018, 8: 16015.
DOI Google Scholar
[30]
Xiang HM, Xing Y, Dai FZ, et al. High-entropy ceramics: Present status, challenges, and a look forward. J Adv Ceram 2021, 10: 385–441.
DOI Google Scholar
[31]
Trachenko K. Understanding resistance to amorphization by radiation damage. J Phys Condens Matter 2004, 16: R1491–R1515.
DOI Google Scholar
[32]
Carey JJ, Nolan M. Non-classical behaviour of higher valence dopants in chromium(III) oxide by a Cr vacancy compensation mechanism. J Phys Condens Matter 2017, 29: 415501.
DOI Google Scholar
[33]
Wei BX, Wang D, Wang YJ, et al. Microstructure evolution in ZrCx with different stoichiometries irradiated by four MeV Au ions. Materials 2019, 12: 3768.
DOI Google Scholar
[34]
Wang F, Yan XL, Shao L, et al. Irradiation damage behavior in novel high-entropy carbide ceramics. Transactions Am Nucl Soc 2019, 120: 327.
Google Scholar
[35]
Wang F, Yan XL, Wang TY, et al. Irradiation damage in (Zr0.25Ta0.25Nb0.25Ti0.25)C high-entropy carbide ceramics. Acta Mater 2020, 195: 739–749.
DOI Google Scholar
[36]
Zhu YB, Chai JL, Wang ZG, et al. Microstructural damage evolution of (WTiVNbTa)C5 high-entropy carbide ceramics induced by self-ions irradiation. J Eur Ceram Soc 2022, 42: 2567–2576.
DOI Google Scholar
[37]
Ziegler JF, Ziegler MD, Biersack JP. SRIM—The stopping and range of ions in matter (2010). Nucl Instrum Meth B 2010, 268: 1818–1823.
DOI Google Scholar
[38]
Bao WC, Liu JX, Wang XG, et al. Structural evolution in ZrC–SiC composite irradiated by 4 MeV Au ions. Nucl Instrum Meth B 2018, 434: 23–28.
DOI Google Scholar
[39]
Agarwal S, Koyanagi T, Bhattacharya A, et al. Neutron irradiation-induced microstructure damage in ultra-high temperature ceramic TiC. Acta Mater 2020, 186: 1–10.
DOI Google Scholar
[40]
Das G, Chatterjee DK, Lipsitt HA. Electron irradiation damage in TiC. J Mater Sci 1981, 16: 3283–3291.
DOI Google Scholar
[41]
Phillipp F, Saile B, Schmid H, et al. Energy and orientation dependence of atom displacement in BCC metals studied by high-voltage electron microscopy. Phys Lett A 1979, 73: 123–126.
DOI Google Scholar
[42]
Gosset D, Morillo J, Allison C, et al. Electron irradiation damage in stoichiometric and substoichiometric tantalum carbides TaCx Part 1: Threshold displacement energies. Radiat Eff Defect S 1991, 118: 207–224.
DOI Google Scholar
[43]
Björkas C, Vörtler K, Nordlund K. Major elemental asymmetry and recombination effects in irradiated WC. Phys Rev B 2006, 74: 140103.
DOI Google Scholar
[44]
Bao WC, Robertson S, Liu JX, et al. Structural integrity and characteristics at lattice and nanometre levels of ZrN polycrystalline irradiated by 4 MeV Au ions. J Eur Ceram Soc 2018, 38: 4373–4383.
DOI Google Scholar
[45]
Bao WC, Robertson S, Zhao JW, et al. Structural integrity and damage of ZrB2 ceramics after 4 MeV Au ions irradiation. J Mater Sci Technol 2021, 72: 223–230.
DOI Google Scholar
[46]
Yang TF, Taylor CA, Kong SY, et al. The discrepancies in multistep damage evolution of yttria-stabilized zirconia irradiated with different ions. J Nucl Mater 2013, 443: 40–48.
DOI Google Scholar
[47]
Deluigi OR, Pasianot RC, Valencia FJ, et al. Simulations of primary damage in a high entropy alloy: Probing enhanced radiation resistance. Acta Mater 2021, 213: 116951.
DOI Google Scholar
[48]
Harrison RW, Greaves G, Le H, et al. Chemical effects on He bubble superlattice formation in high entropy alloys. Curr Opin Solid St M 2019, 23: 100762.
DOI Google Scholar
[49]
Wright AJ, Wang QY, Huang CY, et al. From high-entropy ceramics to compositionally-complex ceramics: A case study of fluorite oxides. J Eur Ceram Soc 2020, 40: 2120–2129.
DOI Google Scholar
[50]
Xue JX, Zhang GJ, Guo LP, et al. Improved radiation damage tolerance of titanium nitride ceramics by introduction of vacancy defects. J Eur Ceram Soc 2014, 34: 633–639.
DOI Google Scholar
[51]
Gupta A, Pandey OP. Visible irradiation induced photodegradation by NbC/C nanocomposite derived from smoked cigarette litter (filters). Sol Energy 2018, 163: 167–176.
DOI Google Scholar
[52]
Chen LY, Yi DQ, Wang B, et al. Mechanism of the early stages of oxidation of WC–Co cemented carbides. Corros Sci 2016, 103: 75–87.
DOI Google Scholar
[53]
Balaceanu M, Braic M, Braic V, et al. Surface chemistry of plasma deposited ZrC hard coatings. J Optoelectron Adv M, 2005, 7: 2557–2560.
Google Scholar
[54]
Choi Y, Umebayashi T, Yamamoto S, et al. Fabrication of TiO2 photocatalysts by oxidative annealing of TiC. J Mater Sci Lett 2003, 22: 1209–1211.
DOI Google Scholar
[55]
Li G, Xia LF. Structural characterization of TiCx films prepared by plasma based ion implantation. Thin Solid Films 2001, 396: 16–22.
DOI Google Scholar
[56]
Vargas M, Castillo HA, Restrepo-Parra E, et al. Stoichiometry behavior of TaN, TaCN and TaC thin films produced by magnetron sputtering. Appl Surf Sci 2013, 279: 7–12.
DOI Google Scholar
[57]
Agarwal S, Bhattacharya A, Trocellier P, et al. Helium induced microstructure damage, nano-scale grain formation and helium retention behaviour of ZrC. Acta Mater 2019, 163: 14–27.
DOI Google Scholar
[58]
Guo XJ, Xin XT, Bao WC, et al. High hardness (TiZr)C ceramic with dislocation networks. J Am Ceram Soc 2022, 105: 5984–5993.
DOI Google Scholar
File
JAC0727_ESM.pdf (627.7 KB)
Publication history
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Rights and permissions

Publication history

Received: 17 November 2022
Revised: 30 December 2022
Accepted: 30 January 2023
Published: 10 April 2023
Issue date: May 2023

Copyright

© The Author(s) 2023.

Acknowledgements

The present work is financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (52032001, 52102081, and 51532009), Shanghai Sailing Program (20YF1455500), Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (16DZ2260603), and Shanghai Technical Platform for Testing and Characterization on Inorganic Materials (19DZ2290700). The implantation was performed at the 320 kV platform for multi-disciplinary research with highly charged ions at Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Rights and permissions

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.

The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder.

To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Return