Irradiation enhanced decomposition of a nickel-carbon solid solution

This investigation was performed to determine the effects of room temperature neutron irradiation on the distribution of carbon in a nickel--0.3 wt. % carbon alloy. The experiment consisted of comparing the amount of carbon in solid solution and the internal stresses of both unirradiated and irradiated (10¹³ fn-cm⁻² \u3c ΦF \u3c 10¹⁸ fn-cm⁻²) samples following isochronal anneals between 100ºC and 1200ºC by using the magnetic disaccommodation technique. The results indicate that the amount of carbon remaining in solid solution decreases with increasing neutron dose. At temperatures below 200ºC this is due to the trapping of carbon by mobile irradiation-produced defects. Between 200ºC and 600ºC the formation of metastable carbides is enhanced by the presence of irradiation-produced defects. No differences are observed in irradiated and unirradiated samples above 600ºC --Abstract, page iii