Radiation effects in Ceramics I. Study of Dynamic Irradiation Effects on Electrical Conductivity in JMTR : in comparison with results obtained with other irradiation sources
In the Oarai Branch, Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, we have been studying radiation effects in materials, using mainly a water-cooled fission reactor, JMTR. Comparing a fission reactor irradiation with other irradiation sources such as ion-beams, we can point out many attracting features of a fission reactor irradiation. Especially in the course of development of fusion reactor materials, importance of the fission reactor irradiation has bee stressed repeatedly. Ceramic materials are expected to play very important roles in heavy irradiation environments in fusion reactors. Extensive studies have been accumulated and now we will move from the materials science phase to the engineering phase. Here, we will summarized the accumulated date on radiation effects on ceramic materials, focusing on their irradiation effects of dependence on irradiation sources. In the first paper, we will summarize results on dynamic radiation effects on electrical properties on which we are actively devoting our efforts currently using JMTR. In the second paper, we will summarize the fundamental aspects, dimensional stability and dielectric properties
