Journal of Physical Studies 21(3), Article 3202 [4 pages] (2017)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30970/jps.21.3202

FUKUSHIMA: THE DESTRUCTION MECHANISM OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS

L. Bulavin^{1,2}, L. Vergun^{1}, J. Zabashta^{1}, Yu. Plevachuk^{3}
¹ Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University, Faculty of Physics,
2, Glushkova Ave., Kyiv, UA--03022, Ukraine
² Institute for safety problems of nuclear power plants of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
12, Lysohirska St., Kyiv, UA--03680, Ukraine
³ Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Faculty of Physics, Department of Metal Physics,
8, Kyrylo and Mefodiy St., Lviv, UA--79005, Ukraine
e-mail: plevachuk@mail.lviv.ua

It was found that the non-fluctuation mechanism of the vacancies formation exists under the influence of neutron irradiation along with the well-known fluctuation mechanism. Unlike the fluctuation mechanism it has a threshold nature, i.e., the vacancies and their clusters begin to form only when the temperature exceeds some critical value $T_c$. It was shown that $T_c$ is a temperature of the second order phase transition. Compressibility at this temperature tends to infinity, which can lead to destruction of the material.

PACS number(s): 28.41.Te, 28.52.Nh