Effects of Annealing and Irradiation on the Stacking-Fault Energy of Cu–Al Solid Solutions

Abstract

Annealing and irradiation effects of the stacking-fault energies of Cu–Al were observed by measuring the curvatures and dimensions of dislocation nodes with an electron microscope. For Cu-10 at.% Al alloy, the expansion of the dislocation nodes was observed on annealing at 150°C. For Cu-14 at.% alloy, the annealing at 150°C does not produce any detectable change in the dislocation nodes. For this alloy, the nodes contract on annealing at 300°C and the subsequent electron irradiation at room temperature produces the expansion of the nodes. These annealing and subsequent irradiation effects are due to the departure of the already segregated solute atoms and their resegregation. Slipping on the (111) plane due to the recovery of dislocation networks at 400°C annealing is also observed.