Preface

The purpose of this text is to provide a foundation for understanding the theory and mechanisms behind the effects of irradiation on metals and alloys. The subject is divided into three parts, each of which is subdivided into individual chapters that together provide a unified picture of how radiation interacts with and alters the structure and properties of metallic materials. Part I consists of five chapters that together, focus on the radiation damage process and provide the formalism for the prediction of the amount and spatial configuration of the damage produced by bombarding particles. Chapter 1 treats the interactions between particles that result in the transfer of energy from the incident particle to the target atoms. Chapter 2 focuses on determination of the number of displacements produced by the bombarding particles, and Chap. 3 describes the spatial configurations of the resulting defects. Chapter 4 provides background on the equilibrium concentration of point defects and their diffusion. Chapter 5 treats diffusion and reactions between point defects under irradiation that are fundamental to all of the observable effects. While radiation damage describes the state of the irradiated material, radiation effects are concerned with defect behaviour in the solid after formation. Part II (Chaps. 6–11) covers the physical effects of irradiation on metals. Chapter 6 describes radiation-induced segregation, which is a direct consequence of radiation-enhanced diffusion. Chapters 7 and 8 address the nucleation and growth of dislocation loops and voids, the defect aggregates that determine much of the behavior of irradiated alloys. Chapter 9 covers the stability of phases under irradiation and irradiation-induced precipitation and precipitate dissolution. Chapter 10 extends the effects of irradiation to the unique processes resulting from ion irradiation such as composition changes, sputtering, and exfoliation. Finally, Chap. 11 describes the use of ion irradiation to emulate the effects of neutron irradiation in reactor components. Mechanical and environmental effects of radiation damage (Part III) are distinguished from physical effects by the application of stress and a corrosive environment. Hardening and deformation of alloys under irradiation are discussed in