Enhanced irradiation and corrosion resistance of 316LN stainless steel with high densities of dislocations and twins

The irradiation and corrosion damages of nuclear materials have been a major challenge for the nuclear energy industry. Here, rotationally accelerated shot peening was used to improve the radiation and corrosion resistance of 316LN austenitic stainless steel by introducing high densities of dislocations and nanoscale twin boundaries. The dislocations and twins not only impeded the formation of helium bubbles and shear bands during irradiation, but also facilitated the formation of a superior passivation film, which significantly improved its corrosion performance. These observations provide an effective approach for designing irradiation- and corrosion-resistant nuclear materials.