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.