Radiation damage

Radiation damage is the alteration of a material’s structure or properties by energetic particles or electromagnetic radiation, often through atomic displacement or ionization.

Displacement damage: Structural damage caused when energetic particles displace atoms from their lattice sites. Particle impacts can knock atoms out of position, initiating cascades of defects.
Nuclear reactor materials: Materials selected to withstand the thermal, mechanical, and radiation environments inside nuclear reactors. Neutron exposure changes their strength, dimensions, and fracture behavior over time.
Neutron irradiation: Exposure of a material to neutrons, which can cause atomic displacement and nuclear transmutation. Neutrons penetrate deeply and generate displacement damage in reactor structures.
Thermal aging: Time-dependent changes in a material caused by elevated temperature without requiring irradiation. Heat can alter properties that resemble radiation effects, but through thermally activated processes.
Ionizing radiation: Radiation energetic enough to remove electrons from atoms or molecules. Ionization alters electronic states and can trigger chemical or structural damage.
Radiation hardening: An increase in a material’s resistance to plastic deformation caused by irradiation-produced obstacles to dislocation motion. Defects can make irradiated metals stronger but less ductile.
Proton irradiation: Exposure of a material to energetic protons that deposit energy through collisions and ionization. Proton beams provide a controllable way to study particle-induced damage.
Mechanical fatigue: Progressive material damage caused by repeated or fluctuating mechanical loads. Fatigue cracks arise from cyclic stress rather than energetic-particle interactions.
Radiation-induced defects: Vacancies, interstitial atoms, and other imperfections created by irradiation. These microscopic defects are the basic structural record of many irradiation events.
Radiation embrittlement: A reduction in a material’s toughness or ductility caused by radiation exposure. Embrittlement is a safety-critical consequence of damage in reactor pressure vessels.

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