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Grain size variation in nanocrystalline silicon carbide irradiated at elevated temperatures
Author(s) -
Zhang Limin,
Jiang Weilin,
Ai Wensi,
Chen Liang,
Pan Chenlong,
Wang Tieshan
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/jace.15895
Subject(s) - nanocrystalline material , materials science , grain size , amorphous solid , irradiation , raman spectroscopy , grain growth , transmission electron microscopy , silicon carbide , analytical chemistry (journal) , crystallography , composite material , nanotechnology , chemistry , optics , physics , chromatography , nuclear physics
This study reports on ion irradiation‐induced grain size variations in nanocrystalline SiC films on Si substrates. The SiC grains with average size ranging from ~2 to 20 nm were embedded in amorphous SiC matrices. Irradiation was performed using 5 MeV Xe 23+ ions to 1.15 × 10 16 ions/cm 2 at 700 K. The irradiated films were characterized using X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Significant grain growth is observed for smaller grains that tend to saturate at ~8 nm. In contrast, irradiation of larger grains (~20 nm in size) leads to a decrease in the grain size, which could be associated with the production of lattice disorder within the grains. Homonuclear C‐C bonds in the irradiated amorphous SiC matrix are found to be graphitized. This bonding transformation could limit or inhibit grain growth and contribute to the size saturation. The results from this study may suggest nanocrystalline SiC as a promising candidate structural or cladding material for applications in advanced nuclear reactors.