The relationship between reinforcement ratio and e-beam irradiation in Y2O3 reinforced Al6061 Alloys: A crystallographic assessment

Abstract

The e-beam irradiation effect is investigated on mechanically alloyed Y2O3-Al6061 composites with different reinforcement ratios (0.25, 2, 6 % wt.). Uniform dispersion of reinforcement elements in the Al matrix is achieved according to SEM and EDS analysis in conjunction with the formation of a highly dense structure. Improvement in hardness value is observed by increasing both the amount of reinforcement species and irradiation dose, concomitantly. The samples are irradiated with 6 MeV and 18 MeV electrons, along with 2, 4, and 6 kGy radiation amounts. 6 MeV radiation has minimal effect on alloys and samples preserve structural integrity. However, electron irradiation with 18 MeV energy shows a distinguished influence on Y2O3-reinforced alloys by initiating defects and defect clusters in samples and eventually leading to expansion in unit cell volume. Finally, it is important to state that the 6 % Y2O3-Al6061 materials system is more suitable for applications where e-beam irradiation is used. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.