Post-irradiated microstructural characterisation of cold-worked SS316L by X-ray diffraction technique

In this paper, an attempt has been made to understand the mechanisms of the evolution of defects in SS316L (20% cold-worked) when irradiated with 145 MeV Ne6+ at a dose range of 10(17) to 10(19) Ne6+/m(2). The microstructural parameters of Ne-irradiated samples have been characterised by X-ray Diffraction Line Profile Analysis using different model-based approaches like modified Williamson-Hall Technique, Modified Rietveld Analysis and Pattern Decomposition using MarqX. The domain size, microstrain and density of dislocation of the irradiated alloy have been estimated as a function of dose. Radiation induced recovery of the prior existed dislocation network has been manifested by the decrease in the microstrain values with increasing dose of irradiation. Domain size and microstrain values decreased initially with dose and finally attained a saturation. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.