Results of irradiating aluminum and homogeneous alloy YMn2 by 23 MeV γ-quanta in a molecular deuterium atmosphere at 2 kbar pressure

Abstract

Specimens of a number of metal were placed successively along the length in a deuterium high-pressure chamber of the “finger type” (DHPC-FT). The specimens were: two aluminum rods, a copper rod, two YMn2 alloy specimens, and stainless steel. The molecular deuterium pressure in the DHPC-FT chamber was 2 kbar. The specimens were irradiated by braking γ-quanta with boundary energy 23 MeV. After irradiation, all specimens were investigated on scanning electron microscopes (SEM) with electron probe X-ray microelement analysis (XMA). Considerable changes in the structure of the surfaces and elemental composition of the measured aluminum, destruction of the homogeneous YMn2 alloy specimen, and the “formation of monocrystalline specimens” of the YMn2 type and structures resembling manganese-based “crystals” were observed. A phenomenological explanation of the observed phenomena and effects based on nuclear reactions is proposed with consideration of certain new approaches, which are examined.