Effect of radiation upon the progress of corrosion in iron-based materials for nuclear installations

This work concentrates upon study of mutual correlations between structural and magnetic arrangement in materials with application potential in nuclear installations. Advanced multiphase iron-based materials, the so-called amorphous and nanocrystalline alloys as well as conventional stainless steels will be investigated. Attention will be focused on description of microstructure and its modifications caused by corrosion. Progress of corrosion will be studied as a function of the degree of radiation damage of the investigated materials after their exposure to ions and neutrons. In this project, mostly nuclear-physical methods of analysis will be employed. As the principal method, Mössbauer spectrometry in transmission geometry will be used besides to its surface sensitive techniques like CEMS and CXMS. The latter will enable investigations not only of the bulk but also of the surface behaviour of the materials under study. In addition, neutron activation analysis and magnetic measurements with SQUID will be also used.