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Effect of U and Th trace additions on the precipitation strengthening of Al–0.09Sc (at.%) alloy

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Abstract

The age hardening response of Al–0.09Sc (at.%), to which trace amounts (< 100 ppm) of actinides (An = U or Th) were added, is studied by microhardness, conductivity, transmission electron microscopy, and atom probe tomography (APT). Peak-age hardening at 300 °C is associated with a high number density of nanoscale L12-Al3(Sc1 − xAnx) precipitates with core/shell structure. The first alloy Al–0.09Sc–0.006U (at.%) has a peak microhardness similar to that of binary Al–0.09Sc (at.%), but a shorter incubation period for hardening which is consistent with U diffusing faster than Sc in Al and acting as nucleant for Al3Sc. This is confirmed by APT measurements of precipitate composition, Al3(Sc0.8U0.2), showing that U has high solubility in Al3Sc precipitates and segregates at their core. The second alloy, Al–0.09Sc–0.008Th (at.%), exhibits Th-poor Al3(Sc0.98Th0.02) precipitates with Th segregation in their shells and it has microhardness evolution undistinguishable from binary Al–0.09Sc; this is indicative of low solubility of Th in L12-Al3Sc and/or low diffusivity of Th in Al. These two primordial actinides -U and Th- show different abilities to coprecipitate with Al3Sc precipitate in aluminum, they, however, both improve coarsening resistance after 143 days at 300 °C by forming core/shell structure.

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Acknowledgements

APT was performed at the Northwestern University Center for Atom-Probe Tomography (NUCAPT). The local-electrode atom probe (LEAP 5000 XS) tomograph at NUCAPT was acquired and upgraded with equipment grants from the MRI program of the National Science Foundation (Grant No. DMR-0420532) and the DURIP program of the Office of Naval Research (Grant Nos. N00014–0400798, N00014–0610539, N00014–0910781, N00014-1712870). NUCAPT is a Research Facility at the Materials Research Center of Northwestern University and received support through the National Science Foundation’s MRSEC program (Grant No. NSF DMR-1720139) and from the Soft and Hybrid Nanotechnology Experimental (SHyNE) Resource (NSF ECCS-1542205). Additional instrumentation at NUCAPT was supported by the Initiative for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern (ISEN). DNS and DCD disclose financial interests relative to Braidy Industries which could potentially benefit from the outcomes of this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Department, Nuclear Research Center - Negev, P. O. Box 9001, 8419001, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Ofer Beeri & Michael Shandalov

  2. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA

    Sung-Il Baik, David N. Seidman & David C. Dunand

  3. Licensing and Safety Office, Israel Atomic Energy Commission, POB 7061, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Avraham I. Bram

  4. Northwestern University Center for Atom-Probe Tomography (NUCAPT), Evanston, IL, 60028, USA

    Sung-Il Baik & David N. Seidman

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  1. Ofer Beeri
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Correspondence to Sung-Il Baik.

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Beeri, O., Baik, SI., Bram, A.I. et al. Effect of U and Th trace additions on the precipitation strengthening of Al–0.09Sc (at.%) alloy. J Mater Sci 54, 3485–3495 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-018-3036-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-018-3036-3

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