The dependence of critical diameter of void nuclei in ChS-68 austenitic steel on temperature of neutron irradiation in the model of formation of helium-vacancy bubbles

The mechanism of void nucleation in ChS-68 austenitic steel induced by irradiation in a fast neutron reactor associated with formation of the complexes of helium vacancies and transmutation helium atoms is considered. The temperature dependence of the critical size of voids is calculated for the neutron radiation spectrum of the BN-600 fast breeder reactor. The data obtained are compared with the results of transmission electron microscopy studies of ChS-68 austenitic steel irradiated as a fuel cladding in the BN-600 reactor in the temperature range of 380–580°C.