DOE-HDBK-1017/2-93
THERMAL AND DISPLACEMENT SPIKES DUE TO IRRADIATION
Plant Materials
Summary
The important information in this chapter is summarized below.
Thermal and Displacement Spikes
Due To Irradiation Summary
Thermal spikes occur when radiation deposits energy in the form of a knock-on,
which in turn, transfers its excess energy to the surrounding atoms in the form of
vibrational energy (heat).
Displacement spikes occur when many atoms in a small area are displaced by a
knock-on.
The presence of many displacement spikes changes the properties of the metal
being irradiated, such as increasing hardness and decreasing ductility.
MS-05
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