Effect of Nanostructures on Bubbles Nucleation and Growth in F/M and ODS Steels Exposed with High Helium Fluence

A new type of F/M steel (SIMP steel) and two kinds of ODS steels (MA956 and Eurofer-ODS steels) were irradiated by 2 MeV He ions to fluence of 1×10¹⁷ ions/cm² at 500 and 600 °C. After irradiation, swelling behaviors and effect of nanostructures (such as grain boundaries, precipitates and nano-oxide particles) on the nucleation and growth of He bubbles were studied by transmission electron microscope. The results show that both SIMP and Eurofer-ODS steels exhibit better swelling resistance than MA956 ODS steel at 500 °C, because the grain boundaries or precipitates pronouncedly inhibit the growth of He bubbles. The Eurofer-ODS steel shows best swelling resistance due to the inhibition of He bubbles growth by the grain boundary and oxide interface at 600 °C. The present work shows that nanostructures in materials inhibit the process of He bubble growth under high He fluence conditions, but the degree of inhibition varies with different materials.