Helium bubble distributions in a nanostructured ferritic alloy

► A 14YWT NFA was implanted with He ions to fluences of 6.75×1021Hem−2 at 400°C. ► He bubbles were observed in the ferrite matrix and on grain boundaries and dislocations. ► A polydisperse distribution of bubble sizes was observed in the ferrite matrix. ► He bubbles were found on the surfaces of nanoclusters and Ti(C,N) precipitates. ► Microstructural defect “traps” might reduce the availability of He, and susceptibility to He embrittlement. A 14YWT nanostructured ferritic alloy (NFA) was implanted with He+ ions to fluences of 6.75×1021Hem−2 at 400°C in order to simulate the effects of high He concentrations produced in advanced fission and future fusion reactors at an accelerated timescale. The He bubble size distributions associated with specific microstructural features were characterized by a combination of transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography. Helium bubbles were observed on grain boundaries, dislocations, and on the surfaces of nanoclusters and larger Ti(N,C) precipitates. A polydisperse distribution of bubble sizes was observed in the ferrite matrix. With the exception of He bubbles on dislocations, bubbles were observed to increase in size with increasing fluence. The combined TEM and APT data indicates that ∼4.4% of the bubbles are located on coarse precipitates, ∼12.2% at dislocations, ∼14.4% at grain boundaries, and ∼48.6% on nanoclusters, and the remainder as isolated bubbles in the ferrite matrix. The abundances of these different trapping sites, especially the nanoclusters, might reduce the availability and mobility of He, and possibly the susceptibility of these alloys to He embrittlement.