# The Nanoparticle Stability and Microstructural Evolution of 9Cr-ODS Steel Under Fe Ion Irradiation at Elevated Temperatures

## TL;DR

This study examines how 9Cr-ODS steel's nanoparticles and microstructure change under ion irradiation at different temperatures.

## Contribution

The paper reveals how irradiation temperature affects nanoparticle coarsening and dislocation loop formation in ODS steel.

## Key findings

- Nanoparticles coarsen at lower temperatures (350–500 °C) but are stable at 650 °C.
- Dislocation loop types vary with irradiation temperature, with different structures forming at different depths.
- Elemental segregation of Cr, O, C, Y, and Ti occurs at the surface due to irradiation.

## Abstract

The stability of nanoparticles (NPs) in ODS steel is an important factor affecting their long-term service behavior. In the current work, the 9Cr-ODS steel samples were irradiated using 3.5 MeV Fe13+ ion irradiation up to 20 dpa at 350–650 °C, and the microstructure stability was studied using the transmission electron microscope. The correlation between the particle coarsening rate and the irradiation depth has been investigated. The results show that fine Y-Ti-O NPs undergo coarsening under irradiation at 350 and 500 °C, and the coarsening rate shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase in depth. NP coarsening reached its peak at a certain depth, and the peak depth increased with the increase in irradiation temperature. While the coarsening was inhibited at 650 °C, almost no changes in particle size were observed, only slightly coarsening at the end of the irradiation layer. In addition, b = 1/2<111> type dislocation loops were dominant at 350 °C, and the formation of b = <100> type dislocation loops was confirmed at 500 °C. Dislocation lines were formed at 650 °C. Additionally, the segregation of Cr, O, C, Y, and Ti toward the surface in the irradiated layer was observed due to the surface effect. The stability of NPs with irradiation temperature is discussed.