Defect formation in 800-MeV proton-irradiated aluminum

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5805633· OSTI ID:5805633

Jang, H; Moteff, J; Levinson, L; Brown, R D; Green, W V

Transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the formation of irradiation-induced defects in proton-irradiated high-purity aluminum. The specimens were irradiated by 800-MeV protons to about 0.25 displacements per atom (dpa) in the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF), producing about 20 atomic ppM helium, 130 atomic ppM hydrogen, and approximately 70 atomic ppM of spallation products. The as-irradiated microstructure mainly consisted of cavities with a mean size of 88 A, number density of 1 x 10/sup 15/ cavities/cm/sup 3/, and volume fraction of about 0.05%. The swelling was comparable to that of high-purity aluminum samples neutron-irradiated to the same displacement level. However, the high production rate of gas atoms during the proton irradiation increased the cavity number density by an order of magnitude relative to neutron irradiation, and reduced the cavity size by a factor of about 3. A postirradiation annealing treatment at 250/sup 0/C resulted in complete disappearance of the small cavities and formaion of gas bubbles on grain boundaries.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5805633
• Report Number(s): LA-8127-MS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360103* -- Metals & Alloys-- Mechanical Properties
ALUMINIUM
ANNEALING
BARYONS
CAVITIES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HEAT TREATMENTS
METALS
MICROSCOPY
MICROSTRUCTURE
NUCLEONS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PROTONS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SURFACES
SWELLING
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY