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M. Bastürk, Y. Dai, H. Rauch, M. Trinker:
"Radiation-induced structural changes in highly irradiated N3-1 SiC/SiC_f composite";
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 564 (2006), 431 - 438.

Fiber-reinforced silicon carbide ceramic composites (SiC/SiCf) have been employed in studies of the first wall and structural material in fusion reactors due to the required high thermal efficiency. Porosity and void swelling in the fiber reinforced materials, due to the high flux of radiation, are the main problems considered. Void swelling of SiC/SiCf composites under high radiation cause a reduction of the thermal conductivity and a limitation of the producible thickness. In order to investigate the radiation-induced changes like swelling in the fiber reinforced SiC/SiC composite, a small N3-1 SiC/SiCf composite was irradiated under high neutron and proton radiation in the target of the SINQ spallation source. Neutron measurements of the highly irradiated N3-1 SiC/SiCf and of non-irradiated reference samples were performed at the neutron radiography NEUTRA and small angle neutron scattering SANS facilities at PSI. The results contribute to a better understanding of pore formation and showed the porosity swelling under high neutron and proton radiation. A contrast enhancement at the edges was achieved by means of phase contrast neutron radiography and structural changes like void swelling were observed within the irradiated sample in comparison to reference samples.

http://aleph.ub.tuwien.ac.at/F?base=tuw01&func=find-c&ccl_term=AC05938308