Work hardening characteristics of gamma-ray irradiated Al-5356 alloy

Effects of γ-irradiation and deformation temperatures on the hardening behavior of Al-5356 alloy have been investigated by means of stress-strain measurements. Wire samples irradiated with different doses (ranging from 500 to 2000 kGy) were strained at different deformation temperatures Tw (ranging from 303 to 523 K) and a constant strain rate of 1.5×10−3 s−1. The effect of γ-irradiation on the work-hardening parameters (WHP): yield stress σy, fracture stress σf, total strain εT and work-hardening coefficient χp of the given alloy was studied at the applied deformation temperature range. The obtained results showed that γ-irradiation exhibited an increase in the WHP of the given alloy while the increase in its deformation temperature showed a reverse effect. The mean activation energy of the deformation process was calculated using an Arrhenius-type relation, and was found to be ~80 kJ/mole, which is close to that of grain boundary diffusion in aluminum alloys.