articleCommunications MaterialsFeb 3, 2026GOLD OA

Defect landscape engineering suppresses helium damage in ceramics

NDN. DaghboujATAhmed Tamer AlMotasemBLBingsheng LiVKVladimír KršjakJDJan Duchoň

Czech Technical University in Prague · Assiut University · +12 more institutions

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Abstract

Helium accumulation in structural ceramics used in nuclear, fusion, and aerospace systems causes swelling, cracking, and early failure, yet controlling this damage has remained elusive. Here, we introduce defect landscape engineering, the deliberate creation of vacancy clusters prior to helium exposure, as a general strategy to suppress helium-induced degradation. Using α-SiC as a model, we combine advanced microscopy, strain mapping, helium depth profiling, positron annihilation spectroscopy, and atomistic simulations to demonstrate that tailored pre-damage transforms helium defect evolution. Instead of forming extended platelets and nanocracks, helium is trapped in stable, uniformly dispersed nanobubbles.…

Citation impact

8
total citations
FWCI
52.83
Percentile
100%
References
78
Too recent for citation history.

Authors

15

Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Helium
  • Ceramic
  • Vacancy defect
  • Cascade
  • Radiation damage
  • Aerospace
  • Molecular dynamics
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Sustainable cities and communities
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