Effects of 600 MeV proton irradiation on nucleation and growth of precipitates and helium bubbles in a high-purity Al-Mg-Si alloy

Solution treated specimens of a high-purity Al-0.75%Mg-0.42%Si alloy were irradiated with 600 MeV protons at 150 and 240°C to a dose level of 0.47 and 0.55 dpa, respectively. Mg2Si-type precipitates formed during irradiation at 150 and 240°C; at 240°C, however, a large number of precipitates seem to have dissolved during the later stages of irradiation. Thermally aged reference specimens have also been investigated. The needle-shaped precipitates in the aged and the irradiated specimens lie along the 〈100〉 matrix directions. At 150°C bubbles were observed only at grain boundaries whereas at 240°C bubbles were seen in the grain interior as well as at the grain boundaries. Long rows of bubbles were observed with the same orientation in the matrix as the precipitate needles. Grain boundary bubbles were found to grow faster in the Al-Mg-Si alloy than in the high-purity aluminium