A fluorescence EXAFS study of the structure of copper-rich precipitates in Fe–Cu and Fe–Cu–Ni alloys

Abstract The influence of small amounts of copper on the neutron-irradiation-induced embrittlement of reactor pressure vessel steels is of considerable current interest. Previous work has shown that the embrittlement is associated with the formation of copper-rich precipitates, but uncertainties remain regarding their composition and form. This Letter reports the preliminary results from a structural investigation of such precipitates in solution-treated and thermally aged Fe–-Cu and Fe–-Cu–-Ni model alloys using fluorescence extended X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The most significant result is the first direct observation that small clusters in the peak hardness condition have a b.c.c. structure.