Pushing the Boundaries of Materials Research

At CVŘ, we focus on cutting-edge materials research focused on improving the safety, reliability, and lifetime of structural materials used in demanding industrial applications. Through CICRR - Czech International Centre of Research Reactors infrastructure, we offer our research infrastructure in an Open Access mode, enabling its use by national and international research institutions, universities, and industrial partners.

About CICRR

A current example of such cooperation is a collaborative research project carried out in partnership with the HiLASE research centre, focusing on the effects of advanced surface treatment using the Laser Shock Peening (LSP) technique on selected steel materials.

The research focuses on austenitic stainless steel 316L and martensitic steel M300, both of which are promising materials for applications exposed to high mechanical loads, extreme operating conditions, and hydrogen environments.

The primary objective of the project is to enhance the resistance of these materials to hydrogen embrittlement, a phenomenon that can significantly compromise mechanical integrity and reliability - particularly in the energy sector, transportation, chemical industry, and emerging hydrogen technologies.

The materials are examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technology combined with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis. These techniques enable a detailed investigation of microstructural changes induced by LSP, especially within the surface layer and its transition into the material bulk.

The figure below shows the KAM (Kernel Average Misorientation) value. The surface structure is displayed using the GOS (Grain Orientation Spread) map:

• KAM expresses local differences in orientation between individual measured points. In the case of a surface treated with LSP, a gradient decrease in KAM values ​​is noticeable from the surface to the depth of the material. This reflects a high density of dislocations and increased residual stress in the surface layer, which gradually decreases with increasing depth.
• GOS describes the dispersion of orientations within individual grains. The map shows that grains near the surface show a higher degree of internal misorientation than grains at greater depths, which again confirms the significant influence of LSP on the surface layer of the material.

Increased surface residual stress and higher dislocation density have the potential to limit hydrogen diffusion into the material, thereby reducing susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement. These findings represent an important step towards:

• extending the service life of structural components,
• improving operational safety, and
• developing materials suitable for future energy and industrial technologies.

The results obtained within this collaboration highlight the importance our infrastructure and the CICRR project as key platforms for linking fundamental research with applied development and industrial practice.