LAUSR

Radiation damage induced in Zircaloy-4 by 2.6 MeV proton irradiation at low doses was studied. Our aim is to emulate the effect of neutron irradiation during early stages of irradiation. X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the domain size remains constant, while the microstrain increases after irradiation to a dose of 0.017 dpa. The micro-hardness, nano-hardness and Young’s modulus are found to decrease after irradiation to a dose of 0.017 dpa. These indicate, respectively, the formation of a high concentration of point defects, probably vacancy type, and a decrease in the second phase precipitates size.