Zirconium alloys are widely used as the fuel cladding material in pressurised water reactors where a significant population of defects and dislocations is produced by exposure to neutrons. We present and interpret synchrotron microbeam X-ray diffraction measurements of proton- irradiated Zircaloy-4, where we identify a transient peak and the sub…
During operation, structural components made of zirconium alloys are subject to neutron irradiation, which leads to the displacement of zirconium atoms from their lattice sites, the production of self-interstitials and vacancies, and eventually dislocation loops. This process can lead to deleterious effects such as irradiation growth, creep and …
