Publication Type
Journal
Journal Name
Journal of Nuclear Materials
Publication Date
Page Numbers
197 to 205
Volume
473
Abstract
We have examined irradiation induced creep of graphite in the framework of transition state rate theory. Experimental data for two grades of nuclear graphite (H-337 and AGOT) have been analyzed to determine the stress exponent (n) and activation energy (Q) for plastic flow under irradiation. We show that the mean activation energy lies between 0.14 and 0.32 eV with a mean stress-exponent of 1.0 +/- 0.2. A stress exponent of unity and the unusually low activation energies strongly indicate a diffusive defect transport mechanism for neutron doses in the range of 3-4 x 10(22) n/cm(2). (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.