Radiation damage in heterogenous materials

It is often assumed that a material’s microstructure does not influence the number of point defects created by radiation. This project challenged that assumption and developed a method to track damage in multi-phase microstructures. The findings revealed that materials morphology can significantly impact the amount of damage sustained in each phase.

This new method is advancing our understanding of the mechanisms that drive radiation damage in materials such as Zircaloy. It has also opened new pathways for materials optimisation to enhance their performance in harsh radiation environments.