Radiation-Induced Composition Redistribution: Mechanisms, Properties, Design, and Additively Manufactured Alloys

Radiation-induced segregation (RIS) is a crucial phenomenon in materials science as it relates to non-equilibrium processes where irradiation produces excess point defects. These defects migrate toward sinks such as grain boundaries, dislocations, and void surfaces, leading to local chemical redistributions. The process is further complicated by thermodynamic and elastic drivers, which can coalesce with or counteract these redistributions via radiation-enhanced kinetics. Additionally, the energetic collisions under heavy-ion irradiation can induce ballistic mixing that competes with radiation-induced changes. Collectively, these mechanisms create intricate segregation patterns that necessitate thorough characterization and understanding.

RIS is known to significantly contribute to material degradation, manifesting in loss of corrosion resistance, diminished mechanical properties, phase instabilities, and modified void swelling behavior. Therefore, detailing and anticipating radiation-induced composition changes and their effects are essential for evaluating materials' performance within nuclear reactors and adjacent irradiation environments.

This Research Topic aims to deepen the understanding of radiation-induced composition redistribution at microstructural defects through fundamental research, predictive modeling, and experimental characterization.

The collection’s scope encompasses segregation mechanisms such as solute-vacancy exchange, solute-vacancy drag, solute-self interstitial drag, thermodynamic and elastic interactions, and ballistic compositional patterning under varying conditions. Analyzing their impact on mechanical properties and corrosion, understanding phase transformations and swelling, especially amidst stress, corrosion, and irradiation interactions, and exploring RIS in developing materials, like additively manufactured alloys with unique microstructures, are also areas within the scope of this collection.

We welcome articles demonstrating novel experimental findings, multiscale modeling, and proposing alloy design methods to mitigate or leverage RIS, especially within novel material frameworks relevant to advanced reactors and additive manufacturing processes. Original research and Review articles are encouraged.

The following themes are of particular interest:
o Computational and/or experimental investigations into segregation mechanisms, kinetics, and thermodynamics via first-principles calculations, atomistic simulations, mean field rate theory, mesoscale modeling, and advanced experimental characterization
o Synergistic impacts of mechanical stress, temperature, and corrosive environments on RIS and related degradation of properties
o Composition redistribution in additively manufactured (AM) materials, taking into account their distinctive microstructures and microsegregation
o The effect of irradiation particle type and reactor conditions, including dose, dose rate, particle type, and energy spectra pertinent to nuclear systems
o Innovative segregation management strategies to counteract detrimental segregation and precipitation or harness them beneficially.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: Radiation-induced segregation, property degradation, microstructural defects, additively manufactured alloys, modeling and simulation, characterization, predictive design

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.