This work assesses the potential of proton irradiation to simulate the neutron damage to the matrix and laves phase Zr(Fe,Cr)₂ precipitates in Zircaloy-4. Isothermal proton irradiation has been performed on Zircaloy-4 samples at irradiation temperatures ranging from 250 to 350 °C. Two-step proton irradiation was also performed to enhance the amorphization of and iron loss from the laves phase Zr(Fe,Cr)₂ precipitates. The irradiated microstructures, including dislocation loops and rafts near SPPs, were observed in proton irradiated Zircaloy-4, which are consistent with neutron irradiated material at a similar damage level. The amount of irradiation-induced hardening after proton irradiation was similar to post neutron irradiated data. The significant amorphization of the SPPs and concurrent Fe redistribution observed on neutron irradiated materials can be effectively emulated using a two-step proton irradiation on Zircaloy-4. Hence, the neutron irradiation effect on Zircaloy-4 can be mostly captured using the two-step proton irradiation described in this study.

这项工作评估了质子辐射模拟中子对基体和Zircaloy-4 中的Zr(Fe,Cr) _{2 相}沉淀物的损伤的潜力。已在 250 至 350 °C 的辐照温度下对 Zircaloy-4 样品进行等温质子辐照。还进行了两步质子辐照以增强拉维斯相 Zr(Fe,Cr) ₂的非晶化和铁损沉淀。在质子辐照的 Zircaloy-4 中观察到辐照的微观结构，包括 SPP 附近的位错环和筏，这与具有相似损伤水平的中子辐照材料一致。质子辐照后辐照诱导硬化的量类似于中子辐照后的数据。在 Zircaloy-4 上使用两步质子辐照可以有效地模拟在中子辐照材料上观察到的 SPP 的显着非晶化和同时发生的 Fe 重新分布。因此，中子辐照对 Zircaloy-4 的影响主要可以使用本研究中描述的两步质子辐照来捕获。