Evaluation of radiation hardening in ion-irradiated Fe based alloys by nanoindentation

Nanoindentation in combination with ion irradiation offers the possibility to quantify irradiation hardening due to radiation damage. Irradiation experiments for Fe–1.0wt.%Cu alloys, China A508-3 steels, and 16MND5 steels were carried out at about 100 °C by proton and Fe-ions with the energy of 240 keV, 3 MeV respectively. The constant stiffness measurement (CSM) with a diamond Berkovich indenter was used to obtain the depth profile of hardness. The results showed that under 240 keV proton irradiation (peak damage up to 0.5 dpa), Fe–1.0wt.%Cu alloys exhibited the largest hardening (∼55%), 16MND5 steels resided in medium hardening (∼46%), and China A508-3(2) steels had the least hardening (∼10%). Under 3 MeV Fe ions irradiation (peak damage up to 1.37 dpa), both China A508-3(1) and 16MND5 steels showed the same hardening (∼26%). The sequence of irradiation tolerance for these materials is China A508-3(2) > 16MND5 ≈ China A508-3(1) > Fe–1.0wt.%Cu. Based on the determination of the transition depth, the nominal hardness H0irr was also calculated by Kasada method.