Effects of 14 MeV neutron irradiation on creep of nickel and niobium

Flux, stress and temperature effects on the creep strength of nickel and niobium were observed in situ at the RTNS-II 14 MeV neutron source at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Creep tests were done on Ni and Nb near 0.3 $\text{T}{}_{\mathrm{m}}$ with stresses to 280 MPa in a high vacuum test unit using a digital computer for control and data acquisition. Cyclic flux tests produced dramatic changes in creep rate. This creep behavior is attributed to the point defect fluctuations in the crystal structure. Analysis of creep and stress relaxation under steady state flux indicates that an intermediate temperature, thermally activated deformation mechanism is rate controlling.