Formation of nanosized hills on Ti3SiC2 oxide layer irradiated with swift heavy ions

Jean-Christophe Nappé (1, 2, 3) , Isabelle Monnet (4) , F. Audubert (5) , Philippe Grosseau (1, 2, 3) , Michel Beauvy (5) , Mourad Benabdesselam (6)

1 SPIN-ENSMSE - Centre Sciences des Processus Industriels et Naturels
2 P2MC-ENSMSE - Département Poudres et Matériaux Multi-Composants
3 LPMG-EMSE - Laboratoire des Procédés en Milieux Granulaires
4 CIMAP - UMR 6252 - Centre de recherche sur les Ions, les MAtériaux et la Photonique
5 LTEC - Laboratoire des Technologies d'Elaboration des Combustibles
6 LPMC - Laboratoire de physique de la matière condensée

The Ti3SiC2 refractory compound that combines properties of both metals and ceramics is a fuel cladding candidate under investigation for Gas-cooled Fast Reactor. Its behavior under swift heavy ion irradiation (Xe ions, 92 MeV, 1019 m−2) was investigated. Significant and unexpected surface changes have been highlighted: hills have been observed by AFM on the surface of Ti3SiC2. Such a topographic modification has never been observed in other materials irradiated in similar conditions. The characterization of these hills by both XPS and X-TEM has highlighted that the surface modifications do not appear in Ti3SiC2 but in the amorphous oxide layer located on the sample surface before irradiation. Moreover, the thickness of this oxide layer grew under irradiation dose. The comparison with previous irradiations has led to the conclusion that this surface modification stems from electronic interactions in this amorphous layer, and that there is a threshold in the electronic stopping power to overcome to form hills.

Mots clés: Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy; X-ray photoelectron spectrometry; Ti3SiC2; Heavy ion irradiation; Oxidation; Atomic force microscopy

Domaines: Génie des procédés

Jean-Christophe Nappé, Isabelle Monnet, F. Audubert, Philippe Grosseau, Michel Beauvy, et al.. Formation of nanosized hills on Ti3SiC2 oxide layer irradiated with swift heavy ions. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 2012, 270 (1), pp.36-43. ⟨10.1016/j.nimb.2011.09.027⟩. ⟨hal-00664404⟩