Morphological Features and Microstructural Characteristics of Craters on the Surface of Industrial Aluminum Alloy AA6111 Irradiated with a High-Current Pulsed Electron Beam
Abstract
Irradiation of the industrial aluminum alloy AA6111 with a high-current pulsed electron beam (HCPEB) with particle energy of 0.35 MeV, a beam current of 2.0 kA, a pulse duration of 5 μs, and a beam diameter of 3 cm results in the formation of a surface layer with improved physical and mechanical properties. However, the potential formation of craters on the surface of HCPEB-treated materials is one of the negative effects caused by HCPEB. This study examines the types and morphology of craters formed on the surface of AA6111 aluminum alloy after irradiation with HCPEB. The distribution of crater sizes and the crater density on the irradiated surface were studied. An analysis of the elemental composition of the crater walls and the adjacent melted surface was performed. The features of the grain microstructure, including shape and size, in the crater area were studied. The implications of these observations for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying crater formation during HCPEB irradiation are discussed.
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