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Title: Study of Helium Irradiation Effect on Al6061 Alloy Fabricated by Additive Friction Stir Deposition
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.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1946231
PAR ID:
10583791
Author(s) / Creator(s):
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;
Publisher / Repository:
MDPI
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Processes
Volume:
12
Issue:
10
ISSN:
2227-9717
Page Range / eLocation ID:
2144
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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