Studying the mechanisms of radiation-induced embrittlement and deformation swelling of surface layers of NbTi, NbTiV, NbTiVZr alloys used as structural materials for the oil and gas and nuclear industries

Determining the mechanisms of deformation distortion and softening processes of near-surface layers in alloys, including high-entropy alloys, is one of the priority tasks in modern materials science. Interest in such studies, which require an integrated approach to determining the relationship between accumulated structural distortions and softening processes, is due to the great potential for the use of these alloys in the new generation of nuclear power. In order to assess the resistance of alloys based on NbTi, NbTiV, NbTiVZr compounds to the accumulation of radiation damage, irradiation experiments were carried out at the DC-60 accelerator, taking into account the capabilities of modeling radiation damage, both in the case of single (isolated) areas of damage, and when overlap. The obtained results of the dependences of changes in the structural parameters of the alloys under study depending on the number of components for irradiated samples are direct confirmation of the influence of differences in atomic radii on the resistance to deformation tension during the accumulation of radiation damage. It was found that the NbTiVZr alloy exhibits the smallest structural changes caused by irradiation, which indicates high resistance to deformation distortion and a decrease in strength properties and wear resistance. It has been determined that the main mechanism influencing the loss of wear resistance during tribological friction tests is the deformation distortion of the damaged layer, the magnitude of which determines the degradation of the near-surface layer of the alloys.