Study of Helium Irradiation Effect on Al6061 Alloy Fabricated by Additive Friction Stir Deposition
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-1-2024
Abstract
Additive friction stir deposition (AFS-D) is considered a productive method of additive manufacturing (AM) due to its ability to produce dense mechanical parts at a faster deposition rate compared to other AM methods. Al6061 alloy finds extensive application in aerospace and nuclear engineering; nevertheless, exposure to radiation or high-energy particles over time tends to deteriorate their mechanical performance. However, the effect of radiation on the components manufactured using the AFS-D method is still unexamined. In this work, samples from the as-fabricated Al6061 alloy, by AFS-D, and the Al6061 feedstock rod were irradiated with He+ ions to 10 dpa at ambient temperature. The microstructural and mechanical changes induced by irradiation of He+ were examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nanoindentation. This study demonstrates that, at 10 dpa of irradiation damage, the feedstock Al6061 produced a bigger size of He bubbles than the AFS-D Al6061. Nanoindentation analysis revealed that both the feedstock Al6061 and AFS-D Al6061 samples have experienced radiation-induced hardening. These studies provide a valuable understanding of the microstructural and mechanical performance of AFS-D materials in radiation environments, offering essential data for the selection of materials and processing methods for potential application in aerospace and nuclear engineering.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Processes
Recommended Citation
Bhandari, U., Ding, H., Zeng, C., Yang, S., Karoui, A., Kim, H., Zhu, P., Chancey, M., Wang, Y., & Guo, S. (2024). Study of Helium Irradiation Effect on Al6061 Alloy Fabricated by Additive Friction Stir Deposition. Processes, 12 (10) https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12102144
