Chansun Shin

Fabrication of a TEM sample of ion-irradiated material using focused ion beam microprocessing and low-energy Ar ion milling

Cross-section-view TEM samples of ion-irradiated material are successfully fabricated using a focused ion beam (FIB) system and low-energy Ar ion milling. Ga ion-induced damages in FIB processing are reduced remarkably by the means of low-energy Ar ion milling. There are optimized ion milling conditions for the reduction and removal of the secondary artifacts such as defects and ripples. Incident angles and accelerated voltages are especially more important factors on the preservation of a clean surface far from secondary defects and surface roughing due to Ga and Ar ion bombardment.

MULTISCALE MODELING OF RADIATION EFFECTS ON MATERIALS: PRESSURE VESSEL EMBRITTLEMENT

Radiation effects on materials are inherently multiscale phenomena in view of the fact that various processes spanning a broad range of time and length scales are involved. A multiscale modeling approach to embrittlement of pressure vessel steels is presented here. The approach includes an investigation of the mechanisms of defect accumulation, microstructure evolution and the corresponding effects on mechanical properties. An understanding of these phenomena is required to predict the behavior of structural materials under irradiation. We used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations at an atomic scale to study the evolution of high-energy displacement cascade reactions. The MD simulations yield quantitative information on primary damage. Using a database of displacement cascades generated by the MD simulations, we can estimate the accumulation of defects over diffusional length and time scales by applying kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. The evolution of the local microstructure under irradiation is responsible for changes in the physical and mechanical properties of materials. Mechanical property changes in irradiated materials are modeled by dislocation dynamics simulations, which simulate a collective motion of dislocations that interact with the defects. In this paper, we present a multiscale modeling methodology that describes reactor pressure vessel embrittlement in a light water reactor environment.

Microstructures and high-temperature tensile properties of mechanically alloyed and spark plasma-sintered 304SS-CNT composites:

We fabricated and investigated a 304 stainless steel and carbon nanotube (304SS-CNT) composite with an aim to study its microstructures and high-temperature tensile properties. 304SS powders were mixed with carbon nanotubes using ball milling and consolidated using the spark plasma sintering technique. Tensile specimens made from the consolidated samples of 304SS-CNT were tested in a temperature range from 299 K (26℃) to 773 K (500℃). An induction coil was used for high-temperature tensile tests. The yield strength and the work hardening of the 304SS-CNT sample were found to be higher than those of a sample fabricated from 304SS without carbon nanotubes for all tested temperatures. Microstructure analysis carried out using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy showed that the 304SS-CNT sample has a microstructure significantly different from the 304SS sample, e.g. reduced grain size and many small cuboidal particles. Composition analysis using energy-dispersive spectroscopy revealed that the cuboidal particles are chromium carbides, and the chromium content is reduced in the 304SS-CNT matrix. Retained carbon nanotubes could not be observed; it is thought that the carbon nanotubes may decompose, induce the reduced grain size and chromium carbides.