Effects of grain boundaries on the evolution of radiation-induced bubbles in polycrystalline tungsten: A phase-field simulation

Tungsten (W) is widely recognized as a promising material for plasma-facing components in nuclear fusion reactors, and the evolution of bubbles in polycrystalline tungsten significantly impacts its properties. This study developed a phase-field model considering elastic inhomogeneity to investigate the evolution of radiation-induced bubbles. The Gibbs free energy of helium bubbles was derived using the Van der Waals equation. An explicit nucleation algorithm accounting for the position of grain boundaries (GBs) was coupled to the model. Furthermore, the model also considered the inequality between the internal pressure of the bubble and the surface tension. The growth kinetics of a single bubble with elastic heterogeneity were examined, and based on these findings, the evolution of bubbles under irradiation was simulated, yielding results consistent with experimental observations. Furthermore, the influence of GBs on radiation-induced bubbles was investigated using the developed model. The simulation results demonstrated that both GBs, as preferential nucleation regions and as sinks for vacancy absorption, had an impact on bubble nucleation and growth. The superior radiation resistance observed in nanocrystalline tungsten was dominantly attributed to the absorption of vacancies by GBs.