Tritium-Helium Effects in Metals

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Abstract
Investigations of helium effects in metals at the Savannah River Laboratory have been carried out by introducing helium by radioactive decay of tritium. This process does not create concurrent radiation damage, such as accompanies ion implantation and (n,α) reactions. The process has its own peculiarities, however, which partially mask and interact with the helium effect of interest. The distribution and local concentration of helium and tritium, which are responsible for changes in mechanical properties and fracture mode, are controlled by the large difference in solubility and diffusivity between the two atoms and by their differing interaction energies with lattice defects, impurities, and internal boundaries. Furthermore, in all investigations with helium generated from tritium decay, some tritium and deuterium are always present. Consequently, property changes include tritium-helium interaction effects to some extent. Results of investigations with several austenitic stainless steels, Armco iron, and niobium single crystals illustrate the variety of phenomena and some of the complex interactions that can be encountered.

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