Change in nanoindentation hardness of polycrystalline tungsten irradiated with Fe ions or electrons by hydrogen gas charging

The effects of hydrogen atoms on the hardnesses of unirradiated, ion-irradiated, and electron-irradiated polycrystalline tungsten samples were investigated using nanoindentation tests. The bulk equivalent hardnesses of the unirradiated and electron-irradiated tungsten samples did not change upon hydrogen charging. The bulk equivalent hardness of the ion-irradiated tungsten increased upon the hydrogen charging. The number of hydrogen atoms trapped at dislocation loops was very small. We estimated that the hydrogen occupancy in vacancy clusters was 0.24−0.45 (in the case of tri-vacancies, the number of hydrogen atoms trapped per vacancy (H/V) is 1.04−1.95). Because of the irradiation temperature of 573 K, the density and size of irradiation-induced defects did not change during hydrogen charging at 543 K. Therefore, the hardening was mainly caused by an increase of approximately 8 − 11% in the obstacle strength α of vacancy clusters containing hydrogen atoms. The ion-irradiated area hardened upon the hydrogen charging and changed the configuration of the pile-up. Observation of the dislocation structure is required to clarify the mechanism of hardening caused by hydrogen charging.